Ariel's Summer
by HorseyGal23
Summary: Hi. I'm Ariel, the horse obsessed freak who one day walks into the stable to discover she can talk to horses. Then, I find out Dad's isn't my real Dad, and that I'm being sent to some camp for my 'safety'. Great way to start summer, huh? HorsesxPJO
1. I talk to horses

**This is my first fanfic so be nice! lolz It's kinda fro REALLY horsy people but whatever...enjoy!**

Hi. My name is Ariel Woods. I usually go by Ari. I've got jet black hair that ends just below my shoulder that I like to tie in a high ponytail, with my bangs framing my face; my eyes are an unusual sea green color. I have ADHD and I'm dyslexic, but it doesn't really matter since I'm home schooled by mom on our horse ranch, which just happened to be by the sea. I love it there, mostly because I'm a horse and ocean obsessed freak.

A freak because one day I discovered I could talk to the horses. The day I discovered I could talk to horses telepathically was terrifying! It started when I walked into the barn and all the horses started telling me all about their individual problems. I was pretty freaked at them saying stuff like _Boss, can you help me this_ or _Boss, can you get me that? _You have absolutely no idea how scary it was! I thought for a little, then I got an idea.

I walked up to Moondance, the dapple-gray dressage stallion that we had, who was also my favorite horse. He was really big, with a really gentle nature. So anyways, I went and talked to him.

"So, are you ready for training today? I think we should work on our flying changes."

"_Boss, you know I hate flying changes!"_

"Ok, rewind, did you just call me Boss?!"

"_Yup Boss!"_

"Will you stop calling me that? I don't like it. If you have to call me anything, call me Ari!"

"_Ok Boss!"_

"What did I just tell you about calling me boss?"

"_Uh…" _I'm starting to see the resemblance between animals and people that all those animal rite activists are talking about.

"How about a deal? We work on you're flying changes today, and if you do well, you get extra oats or something. If you don't work up to expectations, you have to stop calling me Boss for a week."

"_Hmm…let me think about it."_

"Yes or no?" This time I was talking out loud. I figured Moondance could understand.

"Honey, are you talking to a horse?" Oh great. Dad caught me. My dad was somewhere in his forties, with dirty blond hair and blue eyes. He was pretty tall too. He always wore breeches, his riding boots and an oversized t-shirt around the barn. He was a very practical guy. He walked with a slight limp, as a horse had kicked him in the hip while he was shoeing it. It was pretty hard to believe he was my father, because I looked nothing like him whatsoever, and I didn't act like him either. Still, dad was dad.

"Uh…well…no, not really." Was my oh so intelligent sounding response.

"Are you sure?"

"Um…ya!" I tried to not sound like a completely terrified 12 year-old who just had a conversation with her horse. In my head I told the horses to shut up so I could concentrate on looking more intelligible. Then I turned to my dad. "So, you want me to help you out with feeding them breakfast?" I forgot to tell you, it was 6 in the morning. At the ranch we have to be early risers. But I have the feeling I'll be waking up a whole lot earlier now that I can talk to the horses. I was silently praying that talking to horses didn't mean I could talk to the other animals. Oh well, I'll test that later.

"Ari, go get me Tex's supplement, and while you're at it, get Sunshine's medicine. Then turn the horses out. (A/N means take them to the pasture)After that, I need to talk to you."

What did I do now? was what I wondered as I ran to the feed shed. I quickly got the supplement off the shelf then dug through the medicine cabinet to get the eye drops. I jogged back to the barn, where I handed him the two small vials.

* * *

Eventually I was done with what need be, and I went over to our club house place where we hang out. It was a deck with a roof, and in it there were an array of chairs and coffee tables, with a small kitchen in the corner with snacks and drinks. On the way there I was joined by our border collie, Millie. Good time to experiment I thought. I focused really hard on Millie and said "Hi" telepathically. No response. Thank gods!

I finally arrived at our clubhouse. I grabbed a 100 plus from the fridge then went to sit with dad. "What is it Paps?" I asked him.

"Well, it seems that Dressage Today (a very major horse magazines) want an interview with you. Apparently, you're the youngest person in America to ever be able to ride a full Grand Prix test."

It would be an understatement to say I was happy. "NO WAY!" I screamed. It was one of my secret personal goals to be featured in that magazine. When I had stopped bouncing around the clubhouse with glee, I sat back down. "When do they come?" I asked.

"Tomorrow. They want to see you riding so they can take pictures."

O-okay. I had one day to get Moondance to perform perfectly for me infront of an audience. I haven't riding him in a competition yet, so I was worried about how he would take to being watched so intently by a group of strangers. "I'm off to see mom for a second, then I'm going to the stables to ta - I mean prepare Moondance for tomorrow."

"You're enjoying this!" dad laughed then continued "your trainer will be here at 5 o'clock this evening. Be ready for her."

I nodded then dashed off to our farmhouse, that looked just like any old farmhouse. It was white with red clay roof, and sat at the crest of the small hill on the property, overlooking the stables and pastures.

"Mom! Mom! I need to talk to you ASAP!" I squeaked as I barged through the front door.

My mom was in the kitchen baking cookies. She was in her late thirties, with auburn hair and dark brown eyes. She always wore a pair of breeches, with ankle length riding boots and a tank top. She was a horse vet, so she always had to be ready to dive out of the house and into the truck in an emergency. I resembled her slightly in the fact that I had her facial features. If you didn't know, you would never have guessed we were related. Mom currently had an apron tied around her waist, and she looked at me, concerned. "Yes dear?"

"Mom, today, in the stables, when I went in to do my morning check on the horses, they started talking to me! And they were calling me Boss and telling me all their horsy problems. I think I'm going crazy!" I stopped for a breath after my short rant.

My mom's expression saddened. "I think it's time." She had a far away look in her eyes as she looked out the window and at the sea, which was directly behind the pastures. She took a deep breath, but just as she was about to say something, the phone rang. My mom picked it up. I heard mumbling escape the phone. My mom looked worried.

"Is it a deep cut?" my mom asked. More muttering from the receiver.

"Rinse the wound in cold water then poultice it" were my mom's instructions. Again, more mumbling, then "I'll be right over Mr. Cook" with that, my mom put down the phone, and turned to me. "We'll talk when I get back. Dad said something about Dressage Today coming to watch you ride tomorrow, yes? Go and talk to Moondance." With that, my mom left me standing in the kitchen, the smell of baking oatmeal cookies enveloping me. My mom really was taking this well.

**Please review! Thanx!**


	2. I find out Dad isn't Dad

After mom left, I headed for the barn. When I got to stable, Moondance was excited. I wondered why, so I asked. "What's all the ruckus about?"

"_Her."_ And he jerked his head at the stall across from him where one of the new mares dad had been talking about yesterday was standing. She was a nice horse by the looks of it. She was a bay, with a jagged blaze down the front of her face; she looked like she'd done a lot of running and jumping, probably trained in cross-country.

I turned back to my bestie. "Girl problems, eh?" I responded.

"_Mmmhmm. That's one of the new mares."_ He seemed to be doing the horse equivalent of drooling.

"OMG! If you keep that up no mare will come near you!" I said. I snapped my finger in front of his face and he jerked back, surprised.

"_Hey!"_ he said fiercely.

"Whoa. Calm down! For one thing, girls hate guys who are snappy." I paused for effect. "And ones that drool." I added bluntly.

"_Fine, fine, what do you want anyways, Boss?"_ Moondance asked, more himself now that he had snapped out of his trance like state.

"First things first, do we have a deal?" I said, getting down to business.

"_Ya, Boss. But I want you to a) give me extra oats and b) go and talk to the mare for me."_

"Deal. Next, Dressage Today Magazine are gonna come interview me, and watch me doing all the Grand Prix moves on you."

"_OMG! You got us into a major horse publication! Way to go Boss!" _he started pacing the stall excitedly.

"Stop right there. Since when did you know that that magazine existed?!"

"_That mare that came around here for a couple weeks in February, Boss. And the fact that you people always leave the things lying around."_

"Oh." I paused. "Wait! You can read?!"

"_Well, no, Boss. But I think the cover makes it obvious enough."_

That was very relieving. I was really scared for a second there! "Training's at 5. I'll come get you at 4:30. Oh, and tomorrow, you get a total makeover."

"_What? I don't want a makeover Boss!"_

"Live with it." With that I turned on my heel and left.

* * *

I eventually went to talk to this new mare.

"How ya doing?" I attempted sounding interested.

"_This place is a dump. I can't wait to burn it down."_ She sounded like the overly pampered type.

"Burn it down?" I asked.

"_Yup. I don't breathe fire for nothing you know! Beside, it would be stupid to rival the master's orders."_ I was really getting worried at this point.

"Well, it was nice talking to you." Ya, right.

She snorted. _"By the way, what's with that guy over there? He looks delirious."_

"Oh, he's just worried. We've got people from Dressage Today coming tomorrow."

Her eyes lit up. But when I say lit up, they looked like they were on fire_. "Will they be coming in here to look at the rest of us?" _

"No." No need to get prissy horse here all worked up.

"_All the more reason to burn the place down tonight."_ Ok, I'll be keeping a very close eye on her.

"Oh, I almost forgot to ask, what's your name?"

She scoffed. _"They call me Bella."_ The fire in her eyes danced with rage. _"But I prefer Kali."_

"O-okay. I'll see you around then Kali."

"_Mmmhmm." _

I went over to Moondance and whispered "I'd stay away from her if I was you." I gave him a warning look, and then went to check on the mare in-foal. (A/N giving birth)

* * *

"Mom, what was it you wanted to talk about?" I asked as I took another bite of my mashed potatoes.

"Well, you see honey" my mom started.

"I'm not your real father" my now ex-dad finished. That was blunt.

"What the?!" I screeched. I then turned to my mom. "You are my real mother, right?"

"Yes, she is. Now calm down dear" my not-so-dad said.

"And this summer, we're sending you to a special camp a little north of here. It's for your own safety." My mom said in a soothing tone.

I gave them a blank expression, with a hint of hurt in my eyes.

"I'll take you the day after tomorrow." My mom continued.

"Don't you need me to help around the farm? And what about Moondance? And this was gonna be my first show season!" I whined. This was going to be the best summer yet. Apparently, not anymore.

"Dear, we'll take you to Florida with Moondance this winter. You have to be at camp for the summer. And don't worry. I'll lounge Moondance while you're not here. Besides, there'll be a stable there." My ex-dad said. How comforting. I'm leaving my best friend in the hands of my not-so-dad to go to some dump for my 'safety'. (Yes, Moondance may be a horse, but he's more trustworthy than any person. My theory is perfectly proven in the fact that I thought 'dad' was my real dad all my life. Obviously not.) The rest of dinner was in complete silence.

After dinner I went to my room. It always made me feel better when I'm surrounded by the comforting walls smothered in pictures of me and Moondance, posters or random horses and finally a cover of Dressage Today where I photo shopped me and Moondance in. My computer sat in the corner, covered in post-its on which I had scrawled loads of unnecessary notes. My bed was in the corner; the sheets and pillowcases again had horses crowded all over, and I had made my own night light out of a papier-mâché. With you guessed it! Pictures of horses. My floor was lacquered wood, and a fluffy green rug in the shape of a galloping horse was sprawled on top. My wardrobe had posters of all the riders I admired all over. And in the back, right above my bed were two shelves. The top one lined with horse plushies, and the one beneath a shelf of horse books. My 'horse library' wasn't much use though, I couldn't read without a lot of trouble, but it still came in handy. I changed into my favorite PJs and then crawled into my bed. I fell asleep listening to the sound of soft whinnies and the sea.

When I said I would be waking up even earlier now that I had my newfound skill, I was 110 rite. I woke up at 3:30 to the sights and sounds of Moondance prancing. I threw my blankets off and looked out my window to find him…outside my front porch?! I rushed downstairs.

"What are you doing here? It's 3:30 in the morning and you're supposed to be in you're stall!"

He looked petrified, the whites of his eyes showing._ "Boss, the barn's on fire!"_

And I need help – what kind of quest should she go on? And what cabins should her best friends (a girl and a guy) come from? Thanx for being great reviewing-and-story-reading-people! hands out invisible cookies (a personal favorite!)

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	3. We run away from firebreathing horses

Like the new title? This story is gonna be about all the trouble she gets into at camp. I am sooooo happy you people like it! Anyway, I'm gonna respond to you're reviews now…

**HAYDENpfan **– 17hh? That's pretty big, even by AQH standards! And trust me, canter is the hardest gait to get right! I hate it cuz my instructors like 'slow down the canter!' and then my horse goes back to trot…but now we're doing extension, so I don't have to worry about that.

**Griffins Destiny** – I'm evil so I write the chapter the day before I post it…and you'll see what I did instead in the next chappies. I'm taking your advice though. Her friends is gonna be a jumper. I figured there'd be people like you and me who love horses and PJO. I put it in the summary…

**Belle95 **– Ariel's 12 year old

**PJOluver and loopygirl33** – thanks!

* * *

The first thing that escaped my mouth was "KALI!!" Moondance gave me a weird look, waiting for an explanation. "The new mare. Now you got out, go see if you can help the others. I'll get up my _parents_ up and then I'll come help you. Now GO!" I said parents with pure disgust, getting another look from Moondance. "Later." I said. Then I turned and scrambled into the house and up the stairs.

"Mom! Dad! Get up! The barn's on fire!!" I screamed as I barged into their room. I heard a "hmm?" and a "what?" but that was all, so I went over to my mom and shook her awake. "Wake up!"

"What honey?" my mom muttered, half asleep.

I shook her some more. "THE – BARN – IS – ON – FIRE!" I said slowly so she could comprehend what I was saying.

At that my mom shot up and flung herself out of bed. "I'll wake him up." She said gesturing at my step-dad. "You have greater resistance to fire compared to mortals. It's hard for you to burn. Now go help the horses!" She shooed me out.

Greater resistance to fire compared to mortals? If I'm not a mortal what the heck am I?! I had to push the thoughts to the back of my mind. There would be better times to ponder on it.

I finally arrived at the stable. Moondance was yelling directions to all the horses, but I didn't have time to fool proof his plans. There was a mare due tonight, and several others were very close. I prepared myself for the heat of the fire right as I dove in. Strangely, it simply felt like warm water, nothing more. I had the feeling it wasn't going to last long though. However, right before I was out of earshot, I screamed to Moondance "Don't go in after Kali!" With that I dashed to other end of the stable, opening any nearby stable doors, but mostly avoiding the rush of horses fleeing the scorching flames.

I could feel the fire starting to get to me, so I just pushed myself the last few strides to the foaling section of the barn. I noticed none of the mares had even attempted getting out. They had their heads hung low, getting ready to die. As soon as they saw me they sprang back to life. I simply pushed all the stall doors open, and ran to big entrance that was just next to their stalls that led straight to the paddocks. I shooed the mares out, except for one, who seemed reluctant to go. I went over to talk to her.

"Hey Rosie, hurry up or you'll never get out alive."

She had a grim, determined look in her eyes. _"I'm not leaving without my foal."_ Mothers. She shook her head toward a small brown bundle in the corner. She then nickered softly to it, and it pricked it delicate ears.

"I'll carry her. Now you need to get out before you turn into Kentucky Fried Horse." I gave her a look that said _do it, or else_ then plunged into the straw and picked up the wiry, fragile being.

I eventually staggered out the back entrance with the foal in my arms. I lay it down in the closest paddock, next to it's mom, then jogged back to the farmhouse. I heard the fire truck not far off. I went inside and sat down at the kitchen table, grabbing a cookie as I did.

How I could possibly take a rest at a time like this, I had no idea. I just sat there, my slight burns stinging. Eventually, everything came back to me, and I heard a shrill scream. I came out to see what used to be Kali, with three other horses, turn into metallic fire-breathing horses. The hippoi kabeirikoi. The Horses of Cabiri. Mom had taught me about these horses when we studied mythology.

My mom saw me and came over to me, wrapping me in a big hug. When she let go, she looked between the fast approaching hippoi kabeirikoi and me. "You have to take Moondance and go to camp. Otherwise, you'll never get out alive." I looked at my options. Riding my pedigree _dressage_ horse for a couple miles to some camp in the middle of nowhere, or getting melted into goo by a couple of fire-breathing horses. You can guess what I chose to do.

"Mom, where is this camp?"

"I want you to follow the shore line a couple of miles, then go inland a bit, before going north some more. You'll come to a pine tree on the top of a hill. Go past that, and you're safe. Be quick, they'll be after you. I'll stall them for as long as I can."

The hippoi kabeirikoi were practically on top of us. "Thanks mom!" was all I managed before I dove to the side, hauled myself onto my 16.2 hand warmblood, and gave the brief command "go."

"Be careful Ariel!" I hear my mom shout as I cantered toward the beach, gripping a bit of Moondance's mane.

* * *

"_So what was all that about?"_ asked Moondance, slowing down to a walk now that we were a quite a ways away from the stable.

"Well, I'm supposed to go to some camp up north, so I can stay safe from those fire-breathing freaks for horses."

"_I guess there's no Dressage Today interview. No first show season either." _

"Nope. But at least I have you with me. They were gonna make me leave you behind."

"_That is a good thing, I guess. By the way, does the entrance to this camp have a pine tree at the top of a hill?"_

"How the heck did you know?!" I really was taken aback.

"_Well, I came from there." He turned his head and winked, then continued. "I can get us there in 20 minutes flat if you want."_

"OMG please! I don't want those things catching up."

"_Kind of late for that. Hold on tight."_ I was about to look behind me, but Moondance took of into a headlong gallop as soon as he finished talking.

"You think they'll catch up Dancer?"

"_This was what I was trained for before I came to Mill Creek._(A/N that's what I'm gonna call the stable.) _I'm part Pegasus."_

"Seriously? Running away from mythological monsters is your specialty?!"

"_Mmmhmm. Now let me concentrate. The fire this morning was already more than disconcerting."_

"Consider it done!" I crouched forward onto his neck like a jockey would on his race horse.

I could hear the sound of the hippoi kabeirikoi getting more distant. But not before I heard one scream _"We'll get you one day!" _Great. Now I had a pack of mad metal fire-breathing horses on my tail. Joy. A time passed in which we just concentrated on flying over the ground.

"_I'm gonna take you through the woods, ok? It's faster from the shore here."_

"Go for it Dancer."

"_What's with the new nickname?"_

"I don't wanna have to call you by your full name every time I see you."

"_Fine. By the way when did you find out you were a half-blood?"_

"Half-what?"

"_Half Greek god, half mortal. All that Greek mythology your mom taught you, it's all true."_

"Oh."

"_I'll explain more later."_

I had just gotten into a more comfortable position, when a branch conked me clean on the head. I could feel the blood gushing out of the wound. The branch must have had thorns on it. Whatever it was, it stung really badly, and I was getting dizzy.

"_Ouch. That must have hurt."_

"Ya think?" I answered groggily.

"_Just hold on tight Ari, we're almost there."_

"Mmmhmm…" I clung to Dancer for dear life as he found some energy and sprinted to an unknown destination. I blacked out without even knowing I was still clutching onto Dancer's back.

* * *

**Haha! Dancer had a crush on a metal-breathing horse! I know it's real cliché how she gets injured on her way to camp and faints, but whatever… and almost forgot! hands out invisible cookies**


	4. I meet Damon

**Ok y'all! In this chapter you'll meet Damon (cough Ariel's crush cough)! That's all I'm giving away though… and forgive me for always messing up the tense. Now…**

**HAYDENpfan – **nice to know you like them. What details do you think I skipped? I need to know so I can actually fix it. And good to know you got to a place where they don't give you a gynormous horse…when I first went to my barn they wanted to put me on a like 13.2 hh thing and I'm actually really tall…

* * *

I woke up with a start, sitting up bolt upright. My head throbbed, but I still wanted to go see Moondance. Much to my dismay, a hand reached out and pushed me back down on the bed. "Easy there!" he commented.

I looked up to see who the hand belonged to. A guy with dirty blond hair and blue eyes was sitting by my bed. He was kind of cute. He was about my age, maybe a bit older.

"Where's Dancer?" I asked immediately.

"He's in the stable. I gave him a bran mash."

"His favorite." I smiled. First guy who knows his horses. He smiled

"I'm Damon. Son of Apollo." I'm really glad Dancer told me about half-bloods before I got here. I would have complained that Damon was lying. He had a look on his face that told me he was expecting it.

"Explains why you're doctoring me." He looked surprised. "By the way, I'm Ariel. Daughter of who knows who. And _do not_ say anything about the Disney movie."

He chuckled. "So, what's your story? You got to camp on a horse, completely knocked out." So I told him what had happened the past few days; finding out about my dad, the barn on fire, talking to horses, the interview I missed with Dressage Today, getting chased by the hippoi kabeirikoi. Mmmhmm. Just your average story about the last couple of days.

"Wow." He said once I was done. I adjusted myself on the bed, and then turned to him again.

"So, tell me a bit more about yourself, before I black out again." I smiled weakly.

"Drink this first. It'll make you feel better." He took a glass of what looked to be apple juice and put it to my lips. I took a sip; I was pretty dehydrated.

"EW!! Chocolate chip!" I felt like throwing up at the taste of it.

"You don't like chocolate chip cookies?!" He looked at me, an eyebrow arched. I could tell he thought I was crazy.

"I only like oatmeal." I pouted and crossed my arms, looking like a five year old. Damon laughed.

"That's the first time _anyone_ hasn't liked nectar."

"Well, there's a first for everything. Now tell me more about yourself. I think I'll last a little longer now."

He smiled a perfect smile, then proceeded to introduce him further. Apparently, he was an orphan (it's nice to know I at least had a family), and found his way here when he was eight. He's year-rounder (duh!), and to my luck, loved horses and riding. Damon was turning thirteen on August 15th (I'm taking a mental note of that), which meant he was only a couple months older than me (my birthday's on October 31st. How lovely.)

My head was hurting again. "Do you have any stuff that doesn't taste like choco chip? I'm feeling woozy again."

He shoved a little square of something into my mouth. It tasted way better than the nectar. "It's called ambrosia. You like it better?"

"Much."

He grinned. "You get some rest. I'm going to get Moondance some lunch."

"Just give him two flakes of seed hay and one flake of meadow hay. I'll give him his concentrate myself, tonight. And how do you know Dancer's name anyways?"

"Oh, Chiron said he raised him when he was younger."

"Explains why Dancer knew his way around. This Chiron, as in like the centaur right?" I asked. As far as I knew there was only one Chiron in Greek mythology.

"Yup. Have a good nap!" He brushed his lips over my forehead. I blushed. He then stood up, and left. I drifted off to sleep thinking I would drag Damon and Dancer to the beach this evening for a swim.

* * *

I got up right before dinner, with Damon returned to my side. That's when I realized I was still in my PJs. The pink one with rainbow unicorns all over. At least it wasn't rainbow monkeys. It was burnt all over, from when I had run through the fire. I blushed in spite of myself. "Damon, could you get me some clothes to wear?"

"Sure you don't wanna wear that? I think you look fine." I could tell it was really hard for him to keep from laughing.

"Very sure, thank you."

"Ok, I'll be right back."

He came back about 10 minutes later with jeans and an orange t-shirt that I later deciphered to read 'Camp Half-Blood.' "Here ya go, Dinners in 10. I'll wait for you outside the Big House."

"Where's that?" I asked, although I had a feeling I already knew.

"You're in it."

"Oh, I knew that!"

"Mmmhmm. Sure you did." He said sarcastically. I gave him a hurt look.

"Whatever. Now shoo so I can change." After he closed the door behind him, I slowly raised my self, step-by-step out of the bed. It would have been easier to roll out of it, I was so stiff. I changed into my clothes, then wandered over to a mirror I saw in the corner. Where I though would be a big scab was a blotch of slightly lighter colored skin. I figured it must have been the nectar. But my hair looked like the personification of chaotic and awful combined. I grabbed the comb that sat nearby and undid my rats-nest. When I was satisfied I didn't look like a bed head, I walked out the door and into a hallway. Near the door was a big table I figured you'd play a card game at, and next to it, a fridge. Damon was leaning against the wall, waiting for me.

"Orange is soooo not your color." was his first comment.

"Don't you think I know that?"

"No." I rolled my eyes.

"After dinner, I'm taking you and Dancer to the beach." I stated matter-of-factly as we started toward the dining pavilion, not far off.

Damon looked at me skeptically. "Why?"

"Cuz. And you can bring a horse too."

"Fine. But you lost your tour of camp."

"Humph!" I stuck my nose up in the air. "We'll just do it via horseback before we go to the beach."

"Fine, fine." He waved his hand dismissively. "Don't have to be so bossy Little Mermaid." He added, smirking.

I turned to him. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" Damon muttered.

"I'm pretty sure it was something, if you ask me."

"Well I'm not asking you, am I?" he said simply, still smirking.

I gave him a playful shove. "Anything I need to know before dinner?" We were almost at the pavilion now and I could feel the other campers giving me curious glances.

"Yup." He filled me in on everything important, like Mr. D actually being Dionysus, I was going to have to stand up in front of everyone, I have to sit with the Hermes table until I'm claimed, and to avoid the Ares table. Damon winked, pointed at the Hermes table, then went and sat with his half-brothers and sisters.

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**Read and Review! Three reviews till I post the next chapter! Mwahahahaha! waits until the reader reviews, then dishes out invisible cookies.**


	5. Besties reunited

I'm back

**I'm back! ...well I was never gone, but whatever. Enjoy! **

**Griffins Destiny – **OMfudgingG! I made you love horses all over again! I'm so happy! Lolz…

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I sat down at the overly crowded table. Couldn't they just get a bigger darn table? I think it'll just piss the other gods off, so we get to suffer. But anyways, once the nymphs had handed out the plates of pizza and barbeque, I noticed everyone line up near the hearth near what I assumed was the head table, as a man with the lower half of a white stallion stood by it. Chiron I figured. I followed everyone's lead, and dropped a piece of pizza into the fire, wishing that whoever my father was would claim me.

As I walked back to my table, I couldn't help but notice a familiar girl with dark blonde hair and eyes of a similar shade.

"Maya?!" I called after her, as she sat down at right next to where I was about to sit.

"Ari! Is that you?" she looked pleasantly surprised.

"Ohmygods! It has been forever since you were last at Mill Creek!" Maya was my best friend; she rode at Mill Creek. In fact, she was jumping 5 feet with a horse called Devil's Wings. She had kinda disappeared at the beginning of summer, but this explains where she was at.

"I know. I found out about the whole half-blood fiasco a couple weeks back; at least there's a stable here."

"Well, let's just say a couple not-so-friendly fire-breathing horses dropped by and burnt the stable down before I found out."

"I saw you ride in on Moondance yesterday. What the heck happened?"

"We were galloping away from the hippoi kabeirikoi, I got conked in the head with a branch, I blacked out, woke up in the big house, met Damon, fell asleep again, woke up, got clothes, and came to dinner."

"Sounds like a fun way to start off the summer, Ari." She said sarcastically.

"You bet. I even had an interview with Dressage Today organized!!" I whined as I took a bite of pizza. Maya finished chewing,

"Dressage Today? Luck-ee!" She tore another bite out of her pizza. "I always wanted to get into a magazine…"

"Girl! You are jumping 5 feet. At twelve. I bet sooner or later Horse & Rider would want an interview with you." I picked up a juicy looking rib and sunk my teeth into it. "How about you come with me and Damon to the beach after dinner?" We used to always go to the beach before. It made us both feel better.

Maya snickered. "Hey, I don't wanna ruin your date."

"It is so not a date!"

"Pfft. Ya right." Maya gave me that all-knowing look. I hate it how she does that.

"I bet you already have a boyfriend yourself." I picked up the cup that sat nearby and whispered what I wanted to drink to it, just like I had seen everyone else do. To my delight, the cup filled with pink lemonade, just like I wanted.

"Nah. I didn't need anyone to nurse me back to health when I first arrived…unlike _some_ people."

"That's no excuse for not having a boyfriend. I could help you out if you want…" I grinned.

"No thanks. I'm good." I rolled my eyes at Maya.

"Anyways, have you been claimed yet, or are you just a visitor to the cabin?"

"I'm a Hermes kid." She then threw her hands up in the air like she was at a party and said "Yay me!" as cheerfully as she possibly could. She had a huge fake smile plastered on her face, and looked like a 6 year old that was finally going to Disney Land. (A/N if you don't get it, Maya isn't a very socialble person, but she's stuck in the Hermes cabin with all the new campers.)

Between fits of laughter I managed to say "Lucky you!" I could feel the eyes of the other campers staring at me, but I didn't care. Right as I was about to take another sip of my drink, I heard Chiron stomping his hoof. I looked up.

"Mr. D, would you like to introduce our new camper?" He looked at a pudgy, chubby man sitting across from him, in a tiger print Hawaiian shirt and clashing leopard spandex shorts. Talk about bad fashion sense.

"Not really." Chiron gave him a warning look. "Fine, fine. Can Alana Words please stand up?" I looked around, wondering who would have such a weird name.

"That's you." Maya whispered in my ear.

I stood up reluctantly. "It's _Ariel Woods_ thank you."

"Whatever." Dionysus just shrugged. Jeez, what's with him? I sat down, and everyone went back to talking.

"Ari, he's always like that, trust me. He got sent down to run Camp Half-Blood by Zeus because he chased an off-limits wood nymph." Maya informed me.

"Who would to go out with Mr. D?!" I said, utterly terrified and disgusted just at the thought.

"Someone out of their mind. Now after your date with Damon, you want me to show you around?"

"One, it is _not_ a date, and two, he's already going to show me around."

"Ok. I'll get you a sleeping bag and some other stuff from the camp store while you're on the date." She grinned maniacally. She was really getting on my nerves now.

"Watch it Maya, unless you want a knuckle sandwich like the one I gave that kid who said dressage was boring and not a sport." I gave her the don't-say-I-didn't-warn-you look.

"I still feel sorry for the guy. Besides, violence is never the answer." She said the last part like a teacher.

"You're really starting to sound like my pre-school teacher." I forgot to tell you that I went to pre-school before I started home schooling.

Maya just rolled her eyes, and stood up to leave, like the rest of camp. "See ya after the date Ari!" she called.

"Shut up My!" I said back. I then went to where Damon was talking to his friends. "Let's go, before it gets dark."

"Ok. And by the way, is this a date like your friend there just said?"

"Cheek. C'mon, we'll watch the sunset." With that I grabbed his arm and dragged him in the direction I could tell was the stables. He waved back to his friends, then started following me.

"What about your tour?" Damon asked.

I stopped for a second. "It can wait 'till later." I said finally. He smiled. I smiled back, then took his hand, before I started running toward the barn.

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**Let's pretend that Ariel's 13. I changed my mind, but I wanted to add a little romance so I thought I'd make them a little older… and again, 3 more reviews before the next chapter!**


	6. My date gets ruined

**Beware: I'm being nice and giving you chapter 6...I want 4 reivews until I post the next chapter to make up for it!**

**OMfudgingG! I forgot your cookies! hands out invisible cookies And people, Percy and Annabeth are around 17 or so now, so it's after the war with Kronos. But they will have a teany weany role in the story after Ariel gets claimed... and btw, Luke and co. are still alive and at large...**

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When I arrived at the stables, I was out of breath. I decided I'd go take a look around, then we'd take Dancer and ride him (together, which made me kind of nervous) to the beach. I walked through the big stable doors to be greeted by all the horses in the barn. I started walking down the isle.

There were some beautifully bred thoroughbreds I figured were for chariot racing, a whole lot of pegasi of every color and… a 13 hh pony called Squirt?

"That's the pony for all the little kids." Damon told me.

"Oh, like for their first riding lesson or something?"

"Ya." He replied, then pointed to a stall. "There's Dancer over there."

"_Hey! How have you been? And what did I miss?"_ That was Moondance in my head.

"I'm good now, I guess; and you didn't miss a thing." I responded to him in my head.

"_Then why are you holding hands?"_ I just realized that Damon's hand was still clasped in mine. I blushed, then continued talking to Dancer in my head.

"Uh, none of your business! Now we're going down to the beach, and you're coming."

Moondance groaned. "I don't want to have to watch you on your first date." If a horse could have smirked, Dancer was doing now.

"Shut up! And yes, you are coming." I opened the stall door and let Moondance walk out.

"Well?" Damon said expectantly.

"I'll get on, then you get up behind me, ok?"

"What about tack?" he asked worriedly.

"Who needs tack?!" I retorted, and then attempted to hoist myself onto Moondance's back. I lost balance and fell, and Damon caught me. He laughed, and I blushed, _again_. I've been doing that too much lately. "Thanks." I mumbled as he put me down.

"_Since when did you get so clumsy?" _Dancer asked.

"Shut it Dancer." I said aloud, before trying to mount the big horse again. This time I succeeded. "Ok, your turn." I told Damon.

Frankly, unlike me, Damon got up behind me on first try. "Comfy? I asked as he put his arms around my waist.

"Mmmhmm." He said.

"Ok then." I squeezed my legs against Dancer's belly, giving him the aid to walk on. "Take us to the beach." I directed him in my head.

"_You two are heavy!"_ Moondance complained as we entered the forest.

"It can't possibly be that far." I answered him in my head, while snagging a length of his rather short mane to hold onto.

"_Yes it can!"_ he moaned.

"Moondance!"

"_Fine! Humph."_

"Oh gods please don't say you're angry at me!" Dancer completely ignored me. Great.

I could already hear the ocean, and I wanted just to jump off Dancer and straight into it. But right before we were to step out of the forest/camp boundary, I saw something that scared me out of my wits. A huge ship was just off the coast, filled to the brim with monsters. And right in front of us, on the beach, were some very scary looking half-bloods. Dancer stopped in his tracks.

"…so we camp here tonight, and attack camp in at around 3 am. Ok?" I heard what looked to be the leader say. He had blond hair, and blue eyes. He looked strangely pale, and a big scar ran down his cheek. I shuddered, and Damon hugged me from behind reassuringly. I smiled grimly.

"Luke." I heard him mutter.

"_Do I have permission to run now?"_ Moondance asked in my head.

"As quietly and quickly as possible." I responded urgently.

"_Hold on tight. I know this forest like the back of my hand; I can get through here without a sound."_ He bragged.

"Just get on with it. We have to warn Chiron!" I answered telepathically.

"Brace yourself, Damon." I whispered. I saw one of the enemy look my way, but I could tell all they saw was a blur, because Moondance was already halfway through the forest without making a noise, or moving a leaf. I felt Damon's grip on my waist tighten. "Do you mind? I want to breath you know." I felt his arms slacken a bit.

"Sorry." He apologized.

"It's okay."

After five minutes, we were out of the forest. "You can slow down Dancer; we aren't in a life-or-death situation anymore." Thank gods he came with us though, otherwise I think we would be dead right now.

"_Ok."_ He slowed down to a trot, then a walk.

"Who are they?!" I turned to Damon, who was as pale as a sheet.

He muttered incoherently. All I got from it was "Luke…traitors…joined Kronos…attacking camp again…Percy Jackson…we are doomed." I figured that was all I was going to get out of him.

"O-okay! C'mon, let's get off before Moondance's back snaps in two." I halted Dancer, and Damon slipped off, and I followed.

"_Oh my gods! That feels so much better!"_ Dancer said, relieved.

"I'll give you a rub down and some mash after I tour camp and tell Chiron the news. You wander around the stable area until then and cool off." I instructed Dancer. I then turned to Damon, who nodded. He grabbed my hand and started hurdling toward the Big House. As we were running, campers who absolutely had to be Aphrodite kids (they had loads of unnecessary make-up, name-brand everything, and were staring intently into mirrors) were looking up and 'awing.' I don't get what was so cute.

We eventually arrived at the Big House and collapsed outside the door, completely out of breath. Damon was the fitter of the two of us, so managed to stand up before me. He offered me is hand. I took it and stood up. Then I reached out and opened the door, and went inside.

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**O-O What's going to happen? I have no idea…seriously. Anyways, the usual drill, execpt i want 4 reviews until the next chapter. C'yas! **


	7. I find out who my real Dad is

**WHOOT! You guys rock! I got 6 reviews for the last chapter!! Sorry about last night, the internet died. Anyway, I'll respond to reviews now…**

**loopygirl33** – no, it wouldn't!

**Griffy** – can I call u that? lolz, yes, my usual reviewer had reviewed! lolz and ur welcomes, I think I owe it to u for being so obsessed with the story xP

**HAYDENpfan** – omg! U have a crush on Luke!! pints and laughs anyways, is her name mare of sumthing? You call her Mare, capital M…

**Eternity of Night** – I'm afraid that won't be the ending to my story…I don't think xD but I don't want the world to blow up just yet, cuz I already have the sequel planned. For sum reason I thought of that before I finished this…

**Maggie New** – There is no way I am going to stop cliffieing…is that a word? Besides, it's what evil authors like me do. Leave you in suspense so you want to kill yourself.

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When I got inside, I saw Chiron, in wheel-chair form, Mr. D, in all his spandex glory and some satyrs playing go fish or something like that on the round table. Chiron looked up when we burst in. "What's the matter Ariel?"

"Luke and gang are planning on attacking camp at 3am. Tonight." I reported.

"Luke?!" Chiron's mouth hung open. "This is not good. I'm calling a meeting immediately." He went out side and blew his conch horn. I cringed at it's loudness.

Damon put his arm around my waist, then motioned for us to go outside. We stood on the porch of the Big House, behind Chiron. I could see campers come from everywhere towards us. "I'm scared. I haven't even started training too! How am I supposed to fight?" I buried my face in his shirt. He patted my back softly. "Sh…don't worry about it." He sat down on a chair, pulling me down with him.

"Oh look, little Alana's crying!" I looked up and glared at Mr. D, who ignored me. He then stood up and went outside. I sat up, and wiped my face with my hands. Just as I about to say something though, Maya burst through the doors.

"Ohmygods Ari! What happened?" she asked as she sat down on the other side of me.

"Well, we were going to the beach." Damon started for me.

"When we stopped dead in out tracks because there was a ship filled with monsters near the shore, and there were these half-bloods who were conspiring to attack us." I paused to sniffle. "And we heard them say they were going to attack camp tonight."

"That's horrible!" Maya said. "How did you get out alive, without them noticing you?"

"Dancer." Damon answered.

"And why are you crying Ari?"

"She's scared." Damon said.

"Your name is not Ari! I'm pretty sure she can speak for herself." Damon rolled his eyes. I sniffled, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"What he said." I mumbled.

Chiron came in through the door. (A/N no, he came in through the window xD) "You kids need to go get ready for battle." He said before shooing us out.

"How much longer do we have until 3am?" I asked Damon, who conveniently had a watch.

"We have about 6 hours. You want a test a weapon or two?"

"Please. And someone, once and for all explain exactly what is going on?" I was getting fed up of all this talk about people I didn't know.

"What do you mean?" Maya and Damon asked spontaneously.

"You guys do realize that I have no idea what the war with Kronos is about, who in Hades Luke is, etc." I said.

"Oh. Well, a few years ago, Kronos was rising in power and threatening to overthrow Mount Olympus." Maya started.

"Which is on the 600th floor of the empire state building." Damon interrupted.

"Yes, and then this son of Poseidon, Percy Jackson, defeated him and sent him back to Tartarus."

"Ok…" I acknowledged I was following what they were saying.

"Luke is a traitor. He was convinced by Kronos to switch sides, and support the Titans." Damon continued.

"He somehow escaped the battle, and he, along with his demon ship full of monsters, have been trying several times in the past months to overtake camp." Maya finished.

"Mmmhmm…that would explain what they were saying. Next, I need to find my weapon of strength." I announced. Then added "I also never got my tour of camp."

Damon rolled his eyes, and as we walked toward the sword arena, pointed everything out to me; the cabins, the lake, the strawberry fields. I realized that the stable was close to the swords arena.

"Can I fight from horse back? It might help me…" I hinted I wanted to fight on the back of Moondance.

"If you must, Little Mermaid." Damon snorted.

"Aw! That's so cute! You already have a pet name for her!" Maya commented.

"Shut up!" I snapped at her, before realizing that Dancer had found us, and was nibbling at my shoulder as we traveled along.

"_Hey Boss."_ He said in my head.

"It hasn't been a week yet Dancer! No calling me Boss!" I said, a little loudly.

"Are you talking to your horse?" Maya looked at me like I was insane.

"She can talk to horses in her head." Damon filled Maya in.

"Ah…" was all Maya said, before I heard a huge rumbling noise, and an army of menacing traitors came storming out of the forest. They came early.

"_Uh…Ari, you wanna hop on my back with your friends?" _Moondance asked urgently.

"Yes!" I turned to my friends. "Hop on." I turned back to Dancer and hopped onto his back, with little trouble. Damon hopped on next, then Maya. "Go." I commanded Dancer in my head.

We were literally flying to the sword fighting arena. We barreled through the doors just 20 seconds later. "Hop off." I told my buddies. When I was finally on the ground I noticed all the people in the arena stop and stare at me.

"It's rude to stare." I affirmed. Damon was still staring, but pointed above my head. A green holograph of a trident was floating above my head.

"You've been claimed." Damon stated.

"Yes, I can see that much Captain Obvious. By who is what I want to know!" I barked.

"By Poseidon…" Maya murmured. Suddenly everyone went back to what they were doing and a tall guy, around eighteen, came out of the crowds and walked towards me. He had the same sea green eyes, and unruly black hair as me, and we looked a lot alike.

"_Percy Jackson."_ Dancer gasped.

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**I ate fish for dinner…I know that is completely irrelevant, but I wonder what Percy would say… Percy magically appears "You ate fish? Die mortal, DIE!!" huge wave comes and sweeps me away You'll (gasp) get (gasp) your (gasp) cookies (gasp) next (gasp) time! AHH!! submerges underwater**


	8. I get a present from Dad

**is dripping wet from the encounter with Percy Maybe I won't try that next time. Ans since I didn't post y-day, I'm posting this chapter as well…just your luck! Hehe…**

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"Hi, I'm Percy Jackson." The guy said. He stuck out his hand.

I shook it. "Nice to meet you."

"_Mmmhmm, just great. I have a little sister."_ I heard him say.

"I heard that!"

"What?" Percy said.

"Hello. You said it was just great to have a little sister, rather sarcastically might I add."

"You read my thoughts?" he said unbelievingly.

"Yup. Right now you are totally freaked out."

He rolled his eyes, but I could tell he was thinking something along the lines of "Why did me of all people have to get a _mind reading_ sister?!"

"And your thinking about what I'm thinking about." He said out loud.

"_Cool."_ He said in his thoughts.

"_Yups."_ I replied.

"What a nice brother." I commented. Then I turned to Damon. "We need to see what my weapon is. Fast." I could hear the sounds of battle coming from outside.

"No time for that. Just try to find a sword; you'll be good with that." Percy interrupted before Damon could say anything.

"Fine." I agreed. "Where do I get one?"

"Over there." Percy pointed to a pile of swords and armory.

Damon took my hand and started walking towards the piles. "Let's go get you ready."

I spent about five minutes looking for the right sword. I was about to just bail and take the one I had seen a second ago, when something caught my eye next to the pile. There was a box with a note on it that wasn't there a minute ago. I picked it up and looked at the note. I had trouble reading with my dyslexia, but it wasn't too hard.

Dear Daughter,

There is a magical bracelet inside. When you press the little charm of a rearing horse, it'll turn into your specially made sword, Whisperer. If you press the one of a bucking horse, it will turn into a shield. You are smart enough to figure out the rest yourself. Stay safe!

Love, Dad

I read it through once more, and then opened the box. Inside was a beautiful gold chain with intricate charms of horses. I loved it. I quickly put it on my wrist, and then pressed the figure of a horse that looked to be rearing. In a second, I was holding a full 3 foot celestial bronze sword. The handle was painstakingly carved with horses, with a couple of shells and pearls laced in. Near the bottom was a carving that looked just like the original charm. I put my finger to it, and the charm appeared back on my bracelet. I smiled and prayed a little thanks to Poseidon.

Then I pushed the bucking horse charm. I expanded into a large shield, with an engraving of me and Dancer doing a canter pirouette, surrounded by illustrations of marine-life. It was gorgeous, and super realistic. In the back, next to the handle was the etching of the bucking horse. I brushed my finger by it, and the charm came into view, back on its chain.

"_Poseidon got you some really nice equipment. And was that me on the shield?"_ Moondance said, approaching me.

"Yup. It looks just like you too!" I reached up and patted his neck.

"_Try the other charms."_ He said like he knew something I didn't.

I tried the one that looked like a bridle. On Moondance's head appeared a sea green bridle, decorated colorfully in tassels and shells, perfectly fitted to him. My dad was really good at this. I noticed the impression of the bridle behind his right ear, on the crownpiece (CHECK).

"_I love it!"_ Dancer chided.

"Good." I responded. I then pressed the engraving and the charm materialized on my wrist. I figured the other charms would turn into whatever they were depicted as. I smiled.

"What's that?" Damon appeared out of nowhere. I jumped, and he laughed. "It's ok. Just get ready so we can fight this thing. We're already winning, but it'd be good for you to go out there." I smiled and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek and he turned red. I giggled, and then lifted my wrist to press the bracelet.

"You never told me what that is!" Damon complained.

"Wait and see." I continued what I was doing. I pressed on the saddle pad charm and a silken, sea green numna showed itself on Dancer's back, with a girth?

"_It's how the Greeks rode into battle."_ Moondance informed me.

"Cool." Damon commented, before going to get himself ready.

"Ah." I answered understandingly. I then pressed the bridle charm, and it appeared on Dancer's head. I then looked at the other charms. The one that looked most interesting was one of a horse donning armor, like in the Middle Ages. I clicked it, and instead of Dancer looking like a medieval war horse, I was suddenly fully protected in light-weight silver armor. On my wrist was the engraving of the charm, along with engravings of all the other charms, in the armor. A master control so I could use my bracelet in battle.

I then somehow, in a way completely unknown to man kind, I mounted Dancer.

"Am I heavy in this?" I wondered out loud.

"_Nope. Light as a feather." _Moondance returned.

"Wonderful!" I said cheerfully. I pushed the portrayal of the rearing horse and the bucking horse one after the other, and my sword and shield showed in my hand immediately.

I nudged Dancer toward Damon.

"Hey." He jumped, and it was my turn to laugh.

"Don't do that!" he ordered.

"Why not?" I retorted, smirking.

"Because. Now let's go kick some traitor a-"

"I get it." I cut in before he could use some very inappropriate words. "Come on."

Damon looked at me worriedly, but didn't protest. As I walked Dancer out the door, I noticed that it was strangely silent, and that friends and enemies alike were gathering around a spot in the center of the field. Damon was still right beside me as Dancer pranced toward where people were gathering. On one side stood the Campers, on the other, the Traitors.

The Campers cleared a path for Dancer, Damon, and me. We went to the front of the army, and I pulled up at the front line. In the line, was Chiron, in centaur form, the cabin heads, Damon, and finally, me. Right in front of us was my brother dearest, sword raised. Luke was stood across from him, with his sword to the neck of a pretty blonde girl.

"Just give us the girl, Percy, and no one gets hurt."

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**OO I'm so great! I want six reviews altogether before the next chapter... oh, and here are your cookies, just like I promised! hands out cookies to reviewers Until next chapter, c yas! **


	9. Percy loses it

**Eternity of Night – **le gasp? And no, it won't be the end of the next sequel cuz it's gonna be a series…I have almost everything set up (except the rest of this book, xD) for it. When I decide to end the series, I'll consider it as the ending for it. Happy?

**1penguin1 – **do you have any suggestions for the summary? lolz, I dunno wat 2 change it 2…

**HAYDENpfan – **EEW!! You wanna be Luke's girlfriend? But I guess he would be kinda cute/cool if he wasn't evil or have the scar on his cheek (I don't really care cuz I have one just like it) And that's a really creative name for a horse. Mare. Hehe. I would probably be a Poseidon daughter if I were a half-blood, since I love water and horses, although I do like singing…

**Aechiles – **which one?

**Griffy – **uh…30 chapter story? You must have been really bored. And squirt, I don't really have a place for him yet, I just thought it would be funny to add him in there. If I find a role for him though, I'll let you know…

**Griffy **_**(again)**_** – **I only like fish that doesn't taste like fish xP…and don't choke before you read this chapter, it ain't good for you!

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"Why should I give you my sister?" Percy asked. A shiver went through my body in sudden realization that they were talking about me.

"Come on; let us take the pain of your hands. Then you and your little girlfriend here can live happily ever after." Luke encouraged.

"_No worries, I can kick their butts if they even attempt getting near you!"_ I could sense Dancer sounded more confident than he felt. I quickly went back to listening to the negotiations.

"Ah, she has arrived." I heard Luke say. "So scared for her that you put her on one of your four-legged friends?" he cackled.

Moondance snorted and pawed the ground. I decided to speak up. "Dancer says you underestimated his power" I smiled innocently.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Another one of those horse-whispers, I see." He commented. I glared at him coldly.

"_Don't_ call me that." I said, my voice full of venom.

"And just why not?" He asked.

"_Don't say anything yet."_ I warned Percy in my head. I smiled coyly at Luke. "Because…" I trailed off, feeling a tugging sensation in my gut. The oh-so-mighty traitor didn't realize we were right next to the lake, aka my strength. Although I hadn't even trained with water, I knew how to use my powers instinctively.

A huge wave was suddenly upon Luke. He hadn't seen it coming whatsoever, but didn't loosen his grip on the girl like I hoped. He and the girl were swept away in the tide.

"Annabeth!" Percy called after her. I saw a tear roll down his cheek. He twisted around to face me. "Why did you do that?! I had it all under control!"

"Didn't look like it if you ask me. Just be happy she's not dead right now." I said calmly.

"She could well be dead right now!" He screamed back, tears flowing freely from his eyes.

"Percy, you're making a scene! One, we can fight in the cabin, two, can't you just go on a quest to save her? I mean the hero of the titan war surely can save his girlfriend from a couple of psycho lunatics!" I said, my voice rising now as I lost my short-lived patience.

"It's not as simple as that!" he retorted.

"What, is it too much for your tiny brain to comprehend?" I was getting really intolerant, and he was calling me names in his head. "You are so scared of getting in trouble you are calling me names in your head?!" I asked him, unbelieving in his woos-iness. He didn't respond. His thoughts were blank. I narrowed my eyes at him. "I've got better things to do." I spat at him, before turning Dancer around and heading to the stables. Although I would have preferred the beach or lake side, those were two areas I didn't want to venture close to for a time.

"_Nice brother." _

"Thanks." I smiled, knowing that if I needed to talk to anyone, I always had Dancer.

When we reached the stable, I directed Dancer over to the switches and turned the lights on. I then pushed all the right 'buttons' on my armor, until I was left bareback in my borrowed clothes, my new bracelet dangling around my wrist. I dismounted, and then went about rubbing Dancer down, before giving him a flake of hay.

"Hey, Moondance, you'll get fed properly in the morning. I don't want you getting any weird schedules." I told him as I put him in the stall and closed the door.

"_No prob. Besides, I grazed while you were at the Big House, so I'm not that hungry anyways."_ Dancer replied. I patted his forehead through the bars.

"G'night Dance." I said quietly. I went and turned off the lights, and walked out of the stables silently.

"Boo!" I was terrified when I felt hands covering my eyes, but I quickly relaxed when I recognized the voice.

"Get your hands of my eyes Damon!" I ordered. He took his hands away and I turned around to face him in the moonlight.

"Hey Ari." He greeted me.

"Isn't there a way to greet me without scaring me out of my wits first?" I asked jokingly.

"Nah." He replied, playing along. I punched his shoulder playfully.

"So, do I just get my stuff for now, or do I crash and get it the morning?" I asked, feeling really tired all of a sudden.

"Up to you." He yawned.

"I think I'll go with the option to crash and get my stuff later." I said. He nodded in agreement.

"Good choice." He yawned again and I stifled a giggle. "What?"

"You look cute when you yawn!" I reached up and ruffled his hair. He smiled and ruffled mine in return as we started walking to the cabins. "Oh my gods! You messed my hair up!" I complained in a prissy Aphrodite kid type voice. We burst out laughing but I quickly stopped myself and put my hand over Damon's mouth. He looked at me, his eyes full of curiosity.

"We can't be too loud or we'll wake everyone up. And I don't want to that, especially not to the Aphrodite's. Damon took my hand away from his mouth, chuckling.

"All right." He then took me hand and led me to a low greenish building with a big number 3 on it, decorated with shells and the like. Poseidon's cabin. Damon walked me to the door. I smiled, waved, then turned to go into my cabin, letting go of his hand.

"Wait!" he whispered urgently just as I was about to open the door. I turned around, quizzical. Before I could say anything though, I realized that I was kissing Damon. Oh my gods! I was really surprised, but I let it slide, and kissed him back. My first kiss! With Damon! Yay me! When we parted, I smiled. He smiled back. "Now you can go." He said. I waved, and then turned to see Percy staring at me expectantly with bloodshot eyes.

* * *

**Review, review, review! (review once every time I say review!) that's 5 reviews…oops, said it again, 6 revs, I don't wanna say the word anymore, or you'll have to rev- more…in fact, just rev 3 times, that's good enough! Hehe…**


	10. A new twist

**Sorry about not updating last night, the internet was dead…**

**Loopygirl33** – I'll try!

**Eternity of Night** – no need to be so dramatic! Besides, I'm pretty sure the world will blow up one day…laughs nervously

**Griffy **– no choking isn't good for anyone. Cliffies on the other hand…

**1penguin1** – that's what I'm trying to figure out…

**Aechiles **– Don't be too sure. I've always got something up my sleeve (not literally!)

**i-rock-101** – good!

* * *

"Oh my gods, Percy. Why are you suddenly so overprotective of me? Earlier today you were yelling at me blue murder!" I said, tucking myself into a bed as Percy paced the cabin, lecturing me. He stopped for a moment, looking at the ground.

"You're my sister. I don't want you to get hurt." He said quietly. I smiled as I sat up to see what my foot was hitting under the sheets.

"It's my life to mess up. Don't worry about it." I reassured him, trying not to laugh at how he sounded like my mom. I sat up holding some sort of tool and threw it on the floor. Then Percy came over and hugged me. What a mushy brother!

"I am not that mushy!" he protested as he broke the hug. I'm sorry, mushy, mind-reading brother. He rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn't be too sure. Now let's go to bed." I pointed him to his bed, and then lay down in my own. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, lingering on the happenings of today.

It was a dark place room, filled with ghouls and half-bloods. At the middle was Luke, standing tall above a small figure with long blonde hair. Presumably Annabeth. She cried out in pain as someone whipped her. But I also heard whinnies and grunts of pain. I saw that next to Annabeth lie the almost lifeless form of a black Pegasus, also being tortured. Poor thing! The image suddenly faded away, and I heard a voice.

"Do not go to save them, dear Ariel. That is what the enemy wants. Stay away, send other half-bloods. You're needed at camp. Stay safe, and be on your guard." The voice stopped. A few seconds later, the same voice said "I am Morpheus and I approve this message." Go figure.

I sat up in my bed, wide awake. I noticed the sun just starting to show itself through my window. I quickly scrambled out of bed and started to walk toward my brother's bed.

"Percy! You are a slob!" I complained as I kicked a pile of junk out of my path, trying to get to him. I wasn't naturally a morning person. I would have gone back to sleep after the dream, but something told me the stable needed me there. Weird.

From his bed, Percy grunted, then went back to snoring. I rolled my eyes before negotiating a path to his bed. I punched him the stomach and his eyes shot open.

"Rise and shine, bro. The stables are calling!" I said as I looked at the clock by his bead. Six o'clock. Oops.

"What?" he asked groggily. I groaned.

"It's called waking up Percy, in case you didn't know." He glanced at his clock.

"But it's six!" he complained.

"No buts, at home I wake up five thirty sharp no matter what."

"Five thirty? You have got to be kidding me!" he said, more awake now.

"Well Dancer is shouting my name, and the sooner I get to him, the less likely he'll wake up the camp." I told Percy.

"I can hear him too, you know. And by the way, the door's over there, in case you were planning on leaving me in peace to sleep a little more…"

"Not a chance, Perce! Get your fat mushy hero butt to the stables. Now!" I ordered him. I wanted to talk to him about my dream. He began to sit up, extremely slowly.

"Percy, I think I snail could beat you there, and they don't even have to get ready!" I was getting really annoyed by my brother. But I think that's what brothers are for…

* * *

About 20 minutes later, I finally got Percy to the stable. But something sinister was going on. I could sense it. I walked to the stall I had left Moondance in. Inside was a very grumpy, agitated sorrel mare, who was obviously in heat.

"What happened here?" I asked her. She didn't respond, she just scowled and turned away. Stupid mares. I then went to the next stall, where the small pony Squirt had been. Inside was a huge gray Percheron with wings. Odd combo.

"What happened last night?" I asked the old horse.

"_The traitors happened. They came and played musical stalls with us, then took Blackjack, put something in the air that's affecting most of us horses and gave the new horse some sort of injection."_ I instantly froze.

"The one that was in that stall?" I pointed to the one next to him. I was silently praying he'd say no. He nodded his head. Just my luck. I attempted to stay calm.

"Let's get you out of that tiny stall, shall we?" I told the big guy. His eyes instantly lit up. I could tell he wasn't enjoying the size of his pony-sized stall. I opened the stall door wide and let him lumber out.

"_By the way, my name is Max."_ he told me when he was out. I smiled and scratched his nose.

"Care to help me fix this mess?" I asked hopefully.

"_Anything to get me back in my own stall with breakfast."_ He followed me over to the mounting block and I hopped on. I had him walk over to where Percy was standing, looking completely dazed.

"Hey, Perce! Who's in charge of the stables?" He didn't respond. He was frozen on the spot. I waved my hand in his face. "Talk much?" I asked. No response, again.

"Great." I muttered. "Looks like I'm in charge now." I put Max into a canter and made for the big house. (I didn't think he could fly well; he was 18.2 hh of draft horse for Zeus's sake!) When I got there, I was surprised to see Mr. D on the porch (with a diet coke).

"Whaddya want?" He asked irritably.

"Can I see Chiron?" He pointed to the door.

"Down the hall, second right." He paused. "And leave that _thing_ outside." I slid off Max.

"Wait here." I instructed him. I then went into the big house and followed Mr. D's directions. Down the hall, second right. I knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Chiron chirped. I opened the door and walked inside. Chiron was sitting at his desk in wheel-chair form, doing paperwork. He looked up, lifting his glasses off his nose, to see me. His face was one of concern.

"What brings you hear at such an early hour, Ariel?" He asked.

"Luke decided to come play musical stalls. One horse is kid – well, horse-napped, mine's been injected with something toxic, some are in a trance, and Percy's frozen to the spot like a statue." I relayed what information I had so far.

"Oh dear."

**You know the drill! Three reviews for the next chappie! C ya next chapter! lolz...HG23**


	11. Chapter 11 i dunno what to call it

**Eternity of Night** – It must, or are you just a nutcase? xD jk. Nuclear weapons you say? You really are starting to scare me…

**HAYDENpfan** – OMfudgingG!! I forgot the invisible cookies!! Thanx for reminding me! I'll give you some at the end of the chapter, okies? And I think Eternity of Night would be happy if the world was blown up into a zillion places, so…

**Sistergrimm2** – well, in this chapter I sorta introduce a Demeter camper…She'll be more important later though.

**Griffy** – Stay calm. hyper-ness isn't good for you either, last time I checked…

BlackHeartedGirl – it's the other way around, Annabeth liked Luke. And thanx!

**Aechiles** – Haha! You got beaten by Luke! That is sooo embarrassing! Luke pops up "What did you just say?" Luke draws Backbiter and advances uh…on. With. The. Stor – AH!!

* * *

"We'll wait until breakfast to announce the dilemma." Chiron declared.

"That's if they even wake up." I muttered as I paced Chiron's office with my arms crossed, thinking. I decided I'd get my friends together. I looked over at Chiron. "I'm going to go get Maya and Damon. By the way, who's in charge of the stables? I should wake them up too."

"Alison is. She's in Demeter cabin." He told me.

"Thanks Chiron." I turned and bounded out of the Big House.

"_So what's the plan?"_ Max asked as I struggled to remount him. I finally led him to the edge of the porch, and got on using the railing as a mounting block. Once I was on, I answered.

"We're getting Damon, Maya and Alison together."

"_Ok, which cabins?"_ He inquired.

"Go to Hermes first." I ordered him. He took off at a brisk canter. I leaned forward a bit, holding on to his mane tightly as he quickened pace. It was incredibly fun, and I was amazed at how fast such a big animal could go. It was all over way too soon, but I was anxious to check on Maya. I hopped off and walked up the steps to the door.

I knocked, softly at first. No one came. I knocked harder. Again, no one. I knocked again. The door was going to break if I knocked any harder, but still, no one showed. I decided to just go inside. I twisted the door knob and walked inside. Everyone was fast asleep. I saw Maya in a corner, eyes wide. I made my way over to her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I whispered to her. Nothing. I waved my hand in front of her face, but she didn't even flinch. She was paralyzed, just like Percy. Hoorah! Not. I decided to try for the stable head, Alison, next.

I slowly picked a path around the endless sleeping bags and went out the door. Max was waiting by the stairs, assuming I could use it as a mounting block. I tried, but it didn't work.

"It's just across the field, I can walk." I told him as I started walking. He quickly followed suit, walking alongside me.

"_Any luck?"_ He questioned after we were halfway there.

"Nope. I could get a better response from a rock!" I exaggerated. Max just grunted as we arrived in front of the Demeter cabin. Max stopped at the front of the cabin and I carried on, up the few stairs. I stood in front of the door, and knocked hard, without giving it a second thought. After my fourth knock the door was opened by an older boy, looking extremely tired.

"What do you want?" He queried.

"I'm looking for Alison." I said politely.

"Is it about the stables?" I nodded. "Hold on." He went inside, closing the door behind him. He came back a few minutes later. "I'm sorry, I can't seem to wake her up."

"Not another one!" I groaned under my breath.

"Sorry?" He asked.

"Oh, you'll know soon enough." He raised an eyebrow. "Thanks for your time!" I said before he could say anything, turning and walking over to Max.

"_No luck with her either?"_ Max asked, bored with everyone being asleep.

"Nu uh…to Apollo cabin next!" I said. "If Damon isn't awake, I swear I'm going to kill something!" I added angrily, yet quietly at the same time.

"_Just not me, ok?"_ Max said jokingly.

"Thanks for the thought." I replied. He rolled his eyes, if a horse ever could. I giggled. We walked the rest of the way in silence.

When we got there I went up and knocked on the door. I was biting my nails nervously. I didn't need to knock again though, because just before I did, Damon answered the door.

"What's wrong, Ari?" He asked, his eyes filled with curiosity and concern.

"Everything." I replied. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't hesitate to come and comfort me. He wrapped in his arms around me, and rested his chin on the top of my head. He soon broke the hug, though he came outside closing the door behind him. He put his arm around my waist as we walked down the steps.

"_Can I go now?"_ Max asked hopefully.

"Sure. I'll call if I need you." I told him telepathically.

"_Ok. I'll just be wandering around, looking for other stuff that's out of the ordinary."_ Good old Max, always making use of himself.

"That'd be great!" I replied as he turned and went to wander. I then looked up at Damon.

"What's going on?" he asked as we walked together toward the lakeside. So I explained everything to him, from the dream with the over rated "I am Morpheus and I approve this message" to the point with all the paralyzed campers and my sick Dancer.

"You're fine right? 'Cus personally, that's all I'm worried about." He said when I was finished. I smiled.

"Mmmhmm! Not paralyzed, sick, injured or dead! I don't think anyways…" I trailed off, looking myself over critically. Damon was looking at me, smirking smugly.

"What?" I wondered aloud.

"You look like a mess." He commented.

"Thanks." I replied sarcastically.

"Let's get you some stuff from the camp store, shall we?" He let go of my waist and grabbed my hand. Then he started sprinting like yesterday, only without the urgency. Of course I was dragged with him. Evil, super-fast boyfriend. Ugh.

Again, we collapsed in front of the buildings, only this time I landed on top of Damon. He shoved me off and picked himself up.

"You're heavy!" he huffed when he was stood up.

"Are you calling my fat?" I asked, sounding hurt.

"No…" he replied quickly, before giving me a hand up. After I dusted myself off, I smiled brazenly.

"Just checking!"

* * *

**comes back pale and tired Sheesh! I need to watch out for what I say in A/Ns… oh, and by the way, HAYDENpfan, you have a date with Luke later...hehe Oh, and the cookies. Invisible ones. Your favorite, yes, reviewers? Good. Review and you get 2 of them!**


	12. Something goes terribly wrong

**Did you know that Thalia is the name of one of the Graces and means good cheer/is the name of the muse of comedy? I def didn't… and that Chloe means green? Ok, I need to stop doing so much research on Greek mythology! Anyways, short chapter, but it had to be.**

**Griffy** – That is soooo scary! You're Percy great great aunt!! But at least you realized all those things aren't good for you…

**HAYDENpfan** – I think he's gonna pick you up at 8 tomorrow night. Have fun with that…

**Aechiles**** - **You let him win? weirdo Besides, why do you want Silena, she is completely irrelevant to my story…

**Eternity of Night – **You really are serious about the world blowing up, aren't you. And what's an AI? Lolz, I have no idea what it is…

**BHG** – That's what I'm gonna call you. And the invisible-chef says thanks for the compliment.

**i-rock-101** – Thanx! (That's all I ever say to you, isn't it?)

* * *

"That's better!" Damon stated as I walked out of the Poseidon cabin after I had changed and combed my hair, etc. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"We have to go check on Dancer. I have a bad feeling about this though…" I trailed off, lost in the thought of what they could have done to my horse as Damon and I walked to the stables, hand in hand.

* * *

Between me and Damon, we managed to figure out what Dancer had, and what we had to do. It was worse than I thought; he had a really severe case of the Equine Influenza. What do these people want with me anyways? I've barely known I was a half-blood for what, 3 days? Besides, was so special about me?! I was just your average half-blood, right? I brought my thoughts back to the task at hand though, healing Moondance.

"What happened?" I asked Dancer softly.

"_Someone snapped their fingers, and I got all dizzy… Then some thing came in jabbed me with something sharp…and then…I don't know Ari!"_

"This isn't good." Damon said. He was giving my horse a once over, even though Dancer was lying down. He was looking at the thermometer worriedly. "His temperature is 103.6 degrees."

"Crap. That's a whole degree above a maximum normal temperature!" I wasn't too thrilled, and you can see why.

"Well, we have to isolate him, or it'll spread. He's coughing like Hades." Just then, my horse coughed. How ironic. Damon was right though, we had to move him.

"Can we get you out of here, Dance? At least try to stand up!" I urged him. Dance took a deep breath, and then let it out.

"_For you."_ He mumbled. We got out of the way as he slowly pulled himself up. He looked horrible, his eyes dull and his head hung low. I pushed the stall door open wide, then walked out, Damon right behind me, and Moondance quickly following.

"I'm gonna go soak some hay for him, and get him a mash or something." I nodded and Damon scampered off to the feed room.

"Stay here for a second." I instructed Dancer. He just coughed horridly. I ran around the barn, looking for a secluded stall. I found one at the end of the stable. "Come here!" I yelled toward Dance. His ear twitch in my direction, then he came hobbling over. When he arrived, I patted his neck. "Good boy." I encouraged him to walk into the stall, which I noticed had a camera in it.

He walked inside slowly, and laid himself down gingerly. All I could do was give him an ice pack, cough syrup and some soft food. How comforting to know that my horse is on the verge of dieing, and that's all I can do. Curse Luke. At just that moment Damon came in with the soaked hay and lay it down in front of Moondance, who picked at it without appetite.

"Eat. It's good for." I was starting to sound like my mom.

"_But it hurts my throat!"_ He voiced his complaint.

"No buts. Besides, we're getting the cough syrup and some lozenges." I paused to think. "Wait, I don't think horses can eat lozenges…never mind that."

"Cough syrup?" Damon asked as if reading my mind. I nodded. He ran to get it from the stable medicine cabinet. I just sat down by Moondance's head.

"What flavor is the cough syrup?" He asked me randomly.

"That stuff has flavors?!" I asked, unbelieving.

"Mmmhmm."

"Whoa. That's…interesting."

"Yup, sure is." I looked up to see Percy smiling at me maliciously, sword in hand. "Come quietly, and nobody gets hurt." He approached, pointing his sword at Dancer's stomach.

"Help!" I screamed as Percy advanced, slowly. But I wasn't about to let him touch Dancer. I did the only thing I could; I brought the contents of Dancer's filled water bucket down on his head.

Percy suddenly dropped the sword, and shook his head. I could hear something talking to him in his mind, but I could tell he was fighting it. I unexpectedly and spontaneously picked up the sword and slashed him on the arm so I drew blood. Weird, but I somehow knew it would get whatever was in him, out of him. I was right. A white mist, like part of a soul, exited his body. He shivered, then looked at his arm, then at the sword in my hand. Damon was behind him, doing the same thing. He obviously didn't see the white mist that exited Percy's body through the wound.

"What is wrong with you Ariel?! I thought you weren't a traitor. You turned on your own _brother_!" He spat at me, before spinning around and marching off in a huff.

"You don't understand!" I called after him. He didn't even turn to take a second glance. I just flopped into the straw lifelessly, dropping the sword as I went. Moondance nibbled at my shoulder comfortingly. I always had him, always.

"Whoa." Percy said, still completely in shock and blissfully unaware of anything that was happening. I ignored it and curled up next to Dance, depressed. I laid my head on his stomach, which made an amazingly good pillow. I just sat there absent mindedly, a silent tear running down my cheek. Soon, and without realizing it, was fast asleep.

* * *

**Here are you cookies! -hands them out- TTYL peoples!**


	13. I meet Nico

**I just found out what a jackalope looks like…it's sooo scary! It's like this really cute bunny with freaking stag horns! This chappie is a little longer than most…**

**Griffy** – Your dad's socks? EEW! Heh. At least you aren't _my_ great aunt! And how can you eat all the cookies if they're invisible? You can't see them to steel them…

**Aechiles** – Why are you so wanting to steal one of my characters? Evil.

**HAYDENpfan** – How'd the date go? Hope you got out ok… and sure, you can use Ariel, as long as you give me credit for her. (Yay! Its gonna be the second story I make an appearance in! xD) I'll put you in if I really need a random character, ok? Good. And why are you so random?

**Belle95** – Sheesh. You review a lot…not that that's a bad thing. The fire-breathing horses were manufactured by Hephaestus for some King, and they're like the horse version of the bronze bulls, called Hippoi Kabeirikoi I think…and yes, they do have to cut all the people to get them out of the trance state. And just to reassure you, the world is not doomed (unlike what Eternity of Night thinks…), it's just that Percy didn't do his job well enough I guess.

**i-rock-101** – Thanx! (is that all I ever say to you?!)

* * *

I woke to the touch of Dancer nuzzling me. Percy was gone, I noticed.

"_Get up! You wanna miss dinner too?"_ he asked.

"Huh?" I replied groggily, still feeling half asleep.

"_Go to dinner. Is that so hard to understand?"_ He said agitatedly.

"Oh, dinner!" I just realized that I was pretty hungry. "Wait, I slept through lunch too?"

"_Yup." _

"Great." I stood up, brushing the straw off my pants. "I'll take Max."

"_Right here!" _he said from behind me. I yelped, then realized that it was just Max, standing outside the stall.

"Ok. Dancer, I'll be back soon enough. I'm gonna eat dinner, then I'm taking Max for a stroll in the forest. I just need to think things through."

"That's fine, Ari. Take your time." Moondance so understanding.

"That a boy." I patted his neck gently. I then walked out of the stall. "I'm leaving the door open so you can find me if you need to." I told my horse. I then walked alongside Max to the mounting block. I got on, and Max bounced straight into a canter toward the dining pavilion.

I slipped off and went inside, only to receive glares from everyone awake, especially the Apollo cabin. They were yelling taunts and insults at me. I tried to ignore them, and walked meekly toward me. Percy was already there.

"Hey sis!" He said cheerfully as I sat down. I waved pathetically. I had no idea why I was letting this get to me. I had known Damon for, like, 2 freaking days! _You love him_ and _You kissed him_ was all my subconscious kept saying. I told it to shut up. I ate my dinner quietly, and as soon as it was over, slunk out to meet Max, waiting for me. I, miraculously, managed to get on without any help.

"_Where do you wanna go?"_ Max asked when I was fully settled.

"Hmm…let's just wander through the forest." I told him. He walked toward the shroud of vegetation that was the woods. I wanted to go to the beach, but after last night, that was the last place I was ever going until I was sure the Luke and co. were far, far away, or dead. The latter is preferable.

We wandered through the woods, me thinking about everything. Dancer and his flu, Annabeth and Blackjack, all the petrified campers, a mad Damon, etc, etc. What a great life! Not. But I was drawn out of my thoughts by Max. He had stopped abruptly, and was snorting and pawing the ground uncomfortably.

"_I feel a dark presence, just inside the clearing."_ He told me. I noticed that in the clearing there was a tent, with a lit campfire. By the fire sat a boy, around my age, on a log. He looked my way, as if he saw me.

"Who's there?" he called in our direction. I simply urged Max to walk into the clearing.

"_Are you sure about this?"_ he asked, looking slightly scared.

"Mmmhmm. Go." I told Max in my head. He walked into the clearing. The boy looked slightly taken aback. He was tall and tan, with dark hair and eyes. He had a sword in a sheath on his waist, and there was a silver skull ring on his finger. I was kind of creeped out.

"Who are you?" He eyed warily, like he didn't trust anyone.

"Ariel. Ariel Woods." I informed him.

"Daughter of...?" He asked suspiciously.

"Poseidon." I finished for him. His eyes seemed to narrow slightly at the name, and I flinched. "You?"

"Nico, Son of Hades." He said.

"Nice to meet you." Ya, sure. Creep.

"Wanna join me by the fire?" He asked, sitting down. I slid off Max, who looked at me like I was crazy.

"It's fine, Max. I'll see you at camp later." I told him.

"_None of the horses have eaten all day!"_ Max reminded me. Oops, I guess I kinda forgot about that.

"I'll do it when I get back. You know I'm a night person, it'll be easier for me."

"_The stalls?"_ Max was really getting on my nerves.

"Later." I told him simply. He shook his head, then headed back the way we had come. I turned to Nico, who was giving me a weird look.

"Sorry." I apologized.

"No worries. I don't blame him. No one trusts me." He said grimly.

"Join the club." I replied in the same tone. He turned to me, looking surprised.

"What'd you do?" He asked, interested.

"Well, to cut a long story short, Luke gave my horse influenza and put most of the camp in this weird petrified state. Then Percy woke up from it and was about to kill me, when I suddenly cut his arm with his sword and this white thing came out of the wound. My boyfriend only saw the part where I cut Percy. Now everyone thinks I'm some sort of traitor." I finished. He grunted, and put his head in his hands, deep in thought.

Nico murmured only one thing. "Kronos." He looked up at me, his eyes bright, like a light bulb had just appeared above his head. "Parts of Kronos's soul have somehow found their way into all the campers…they have to be cut in the arm to release the power he has over them!" Wow. For a creep, he sure was smart. "Oh my gods! They're all gonna wake up tomorrow under the possession of Kronos!" He jumped to his feet, and started to run.

"Hey, wait up!" Nico stopped for a second while I caught up with him, then continued running.

Nico managed to dodge all the obstacles in our path. I, on the other hand, couldn't see a darn thing. Nico seemed to have eyes on the back of his head, because every time I tripped he caught me. When we got out of the brush, Nico hadn't even broke sweat, and looked in perfect condition. I guess I was the exact opposite of him, because I had a stubbed toe and a couple cuts and scratches. Nico laughed.

"What's so funny?" I asked him, irritated.

"You are." He smirked, and then started toward the Big House, me close behind.

* * *

**Cookies! Review and get cookies! Heh. –hands cookie to reviewer-**


	14. We make up

**Aechiles** – You know, you dumb lord of time, if you kidnap me, that no one'll be able to write the story? :P Talk about not thinking before you talk/type…

**HAYDENpfan** – invisible chef says thanks. My darn dentist gave me a pink toothbrush. Stupid dentist person. Besides, you have to give me credit for the character…although it's kinda weird cus you're giving credit to the author who created the character who is basically the author. And you went on a date to the circus?! Glad you enjoyed it…I'm only happy cus it got me out of getting killed, since he doesn't exactly like any of Poseidon's kids after what Percy did last time…

**i-rock-101** – -for the millionth time- Thanx!

**Griffy** – I don't need an in-depth description of your family's sox. Pls! and I like peaches! And Nico is taking you to the horse show? Cus horses don't like Hades' children…unless they're skeleton horses. That would be weird if you rode in a compy on a skeleton horse. Can you imagine what the mortals would see?!

**BHG** – really? Me and you are the first? Cool! lolz.

* * *

"Chiron, I think Nico figured out what's wrong with the sleeping campers!" I told Chiron when we had arrived at the big house.

"What is it?" He asked me.

"Nico'll tell you." I quickly turned and dashed over to the stables, which I thought was filled with hungry, tired, unexercised horses in the wrong stalls.

Of course, when I got there, all the horses were in their right stalls, eating.

"_Hey! You're back!"_ Max said as I passed his stall. I smiled.

Once I found that all the horses were in the correct stalls, with food, I went to check on Moondance. When I got there, I noticed a certain blond haired, blue eyed boy with Dancer. I smiled, and walked into the stall.

"Hey." I greeted him. Damon jumped, but when he saw it was just me, calmed back down. He patted a spot next to where he was, motioning me to sit with him. I took a seat.

"Ari, about this morning –"he started, but I cut him off.

"Don't sweat it." I told him as I put my head on his shoulder. He smiled and ruffled my hair. "Oi!" I complained. He stood up suddenly, making me fall on my side. "Oi again!" he chuckled as I pulled my self back into a sitting position.

"You aren't going back to your cabin tonight, are you Little Mermaid?" He asked me. I grinned at the nickname, but shook my head. "I'll be right back then." Damon turned and left.

"_He's a good guy."_ Dancer told me_. "But I have no idea why he calls you 'Little Mermaid.'"_ I giggled, realizing that Moondance probably didn't watch Disney movies.

"'The Little Mermaid' is a movie, silly. Ariel is the name of the main character, who is, coincidentally, a mermaid."

"_You don't have a fish tail though."_ He teased.

"I don't want one either!" I said. Dancer laughed softly.

"_I can't imagine you as a mermaid. That would look pretty retarded!"_

"Hey!" I protested. Moondance just shot me a teasing look. I stuck my tongue out at him. Damon came in just than, arms full of pillows and blankets. He had an eyebrow raised.

"Don't ask." I said, seeing his questioning look. He dropped all the blankets and things next to me, except for one pillow.

"I won't. I'll just do this." He whacked me with the pillow playfully. I laughed, and caught the other end of his pillow as he was about to bring it down on me again.

"Gotcha!" I said playfully.

"_Can you please go be stupid somewhere else?"_ Dancer asked hoarsely, coughing a bit.

"Fine! But we'll come check on you later…" I picked up a couple of blankets and pillows.

"What's going on?" Damon asked.

"Dance says we're irritating him, so I figured we'd go pillow fight in the next stall." Damon grinned.

"You're on!" he said competitively. He grabbed the remaining pillows and blankets. I stuck my tongue out at him, and then trooped into the next stall, tripping on the blankets as I walked into it. I fell flat on my face. Damon just laughed.

"Ahem." I cleared my throat, waiting for him to come help me up.

"Oh, right." He came and untangled all the blankets, then gave me a hand up.

"Finally!" I scowled. Damon just grinned.

"So-ry!" he groaned. I pulled the fluffiest, furriest blanket and spread it over the straw toward the back of the stall. I grabbed a couple pillows and lined them up, like on a bed, then grabbed a blanket and proceeded to lay down. Damon stood there, looking weird, the whole time.

"Go turn the lights off, or do something useful!" I ordered him. I was extremely tired, even though I slept most of the day, and didn't do much of anything…

"What about the pillow fight?" He asked, disappointed. He didn't protest though, and went to shut the lights off. It was a big contrast, since the lights were so bright, and it was now almost pitch black. I could just see the outline of my boyfriend walking toward the stall door, hands outstretched, looking like a zombie while trying to find a way back to my side.

"Almost there…Ouch!" I yelped in pain as Damon tripped and fell on top of me. He rolled off of me and onto the fuzzy blanket while my face heated up. He reached out and found another blanket to wrap himself in. He then kissed my forehead.

"Night Ari." He said quietly. I smiled, closing my eyes and falling asleep immediately.

* * *

I looked around me, and noticed I was in the same place I was last night. Luke looked really evil, the torches around him giving him an eerie glow and casting dark shadows across his face. And there he was again, having Annabeth and Blackjack tortured. I just realized that his eyes were all foggy.

"Why isn't that wretched goddess coming?! I need her to come and attempt rescuing these worthless _things_." Luke bellowed, furious. I had a feeling he was talking about me. But I had no intention on going. Morpheus had warned me not to, and now I saw why. He wanted me to go. He wasn't expecting me to get Percy out of the trance. Annabeth looked up weakly.

"Why do you do this, Luke? Why?" She asked painfully. His eyes seemed to clear for a second, and Annabeth looked hopeful. But then he snapped back and kicked her in the ribs. She screeched.

"Shut up!" He commanded her. She didn't listen, and he kicked her again. I unexpectedly, out of nowhere, had an idea on how Percy could save Annabeth, Blackjack, and Luke. I had a strong feeling that Luke had a piece of Kronos in him, just like Percy had. All of a sudden, the image faded to black, and I heard a familiar voice.

"Your assumption is right, dear. He is possessed by Kronos. But a cut to the arm will not heal him. You will have to dig much deeper than that to release him from his trance." The voice faded, before adding, "I am Morpheus and I approve this message." What is with that?! At least he was nice enough to warn me though…

* * *

**-hands out cookies and pats reviewers' heads- Good reviewers! You know the drill…**


	15. Battle in the Big House

**Whoa. I just realized its Thursday. Already! And vote on the poll on my profile! It affects the story, so you have to vote, otherwise, it'd be like not reviewing and I couldn't update…**

**Aechiles** – Fine. Dumb _god_ of time. Happy? Thought so. And technically, the stall is perfectly clean considering unused stalls always have bedding in them, and it's unused. So technically, it's not dirty. I should know, I'm completely obsessed with horses. And wtg on making Luke cry! Although I somehow don't think HAYDENpfan will be too pleased :D

**i-rock-101** – Yeppers, you are! (OMG! I said something other than thanx to you!)

**HAYDENpfan** – Sheesh, you're randomer than me! And you're worse than Annabeth, but I guess that's cuz your dating him. And not lucky me, cuz I already have braces! My parents were all like 'get braces before you get overly self-conscious.' Whatever that's supposed to mean. But trust me, after you first get braces, you'll be living off oatmeal for a week. Have fun! xD

**Belle95** – And you'll keep wondering, cuz I'm not gonna spill…but I guess that's because I haven't figured it out myself…

**BHG** – Well, I hope you like invisible pie, cus today the chef said that all the super duper reviewers should get something better. So he made invisible pie. Heh. Next chapter he might go back to making cookies though…

**Griffy** – does the mortal brother know? And you get invisible pie to go with your mom's cookies this chapter. And how did your compy go in the end?

**loopygirl33** – since you can't decide to be a happy smiley (:)) or a sad smiley (:(), how about a mustache smiley? :- heh. My own creation…have fun at the beach!

* * *

Damon was shaking me awake.

"Jeez! You sleep like a brick!" He complained as he continued to pommel me back and forth. I cracked my eyes open.

"What?" I croaked, hoarse since I just woke up.

"I said you sleep like a brick." Damon repeated.

"Thanks." I replied.

"Getting up would help, Ari. We have to get the horses fed and Moondance his medicine ASAP." At that, I bolted upright, realizing that sooner or later, most of camp would wake up and attack me. Wahoo! Not.

"Gods! I'll be right back., you get started on feeding the horses, I have to warn Chiron!" I jumped to my feet. "Lets hope they aren't up yet." I muttered. Damon looked at me weirdly. "Later. I have to tell Chiron what's going on. Get a sword for yourself and if any zombified campers come your way, cut them on the upper right arm." I scampered out of the stables, pressing the charm on my bracelet so that my sword grew in my hand as I ran.

When I got to the Big House, I wasn't as out of breath as I usually was. I was getting used to sprinting around camp over the last couple of days. But as I walked in, I noticed a couple half-bloods attacking Chiron. How pleasant. Nico was next to him, his sword drawn, fighting them, while Chiron tried to fend them off with his bare hands.

"Nico! Cut them each in the upper right arm!" I told him as I saw my chance and nailed one of the kids who was assaulting Nico and Chiron. The kid stopped dead, and just stared into space, like Percy had done. Around her though, Nico was still fighting the other half bloods. He was a pretty good swordsman, but not good enough to take on 3 opponents with one sword. I decided to help.

I started attacking from behind, aiming for the kids' right arm. I saw my chance, and slashed my sword. I missed miserably, as the kid seemed to realize what was going on and turn to face me. Crap. I hadn't done any training whatsoever, and I'm dueling this kid in a life-or-death situation. Yay me.

We fought on for a good 5 minutes, in which time Nico had managed to put one kid into the 'whoa' state, and Chiron had nailed down the other kid, who was putting up a fight, yelling at Chiron to let go. But I was soon drawn back into my duel as I just managed to parry a jab to my shoulder.

For some reason, the camper had switched hands, so was now holding the sword in his left hand. I tried to take this to my advantage, and slashed at his right arm, but he blocked. The guy was better with the sword in his left then in his right. Great. Then, when we clashed swords the next time, I flicked my wrist, and his sword dropped to the ground. I don't know where that came from. He looked surprised, and I took it as my cue to cut his arm open. The white smoke deserted his body through the cut.

"Whoa." He whispered. I smiled at my achievement, and stepped over the camper's sword and toward where Nico had finally managed to cut the kid's arm.

"You're good with swords." Chiron told me. I smiled, then looked back at them.

"I take it you wanted to tell us something." Chiron then said. I nodded.

"I had a dream. Lord Morpheus gave me some clues. Apparently, Luke has the same problem as everyone else at camp, just that it'll be harder than just slicing his arm up to get him back. That reminds me, you might want to tell all the campers who're in their right minds to get armed, so they don't get mauled by the Kronos-possessed."

"Ah, good old Morpheus. Always trying to be helpful" Chiron smiled warmly.

"Morpheus is the Lord of Dreams, right?" Nico asked. I laughed.

"Yup." I don't think Nico's learnt that much Greek mythology.

"I knew that!" He chided. Sure, creep.

"So, you need to go see the oracle if your going on a quest." Chiron told me, pointing to the stairs leading to the attic.

"I can't go on this quest, Chiron." I told him bluntly. He looked stunned.

"Why?" He asked.

"That's exactly what Luke wants. But then again, he called me a goddess." What the? I am so not a goddess. My mom's a mortal. Right? Right? Chiron toyed his beard thoughtfully and let out an exasperated sigh.

"The prophecy is coming true already?!" He looked pretty darn irritated if you ask me.

"What prophecy?" I asked innocently.

"Huh?" Nico murmured in the background while the old centaur mulled.

"You'll know when it's time." He said, finality in his voice. Darn centaur.

"Well, now that we know that Percy needs to go on a quest – "

"Why Percy?" Nico interrupted.

"I – I don't know. It's just, I have this gut feeling, and Morpheus says that's who's supposed to go…" Nico seemed to be in a sudden blind rage.

"WHY DOES HE ALWAYS GET ALL THE QUESTS!" He roared, an frightening look in his eyes. I cowered and went outside, closing the door behind me tightly. I started to walk back to the stables, although I felt for Chiron, who had to put up with a ballistic son of Hades.

"WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP!" I heard Mr. D's voice from a long way away from the Big House. I wonder what Mr. D was going to do to Nico for waking him up. I don't know. I think the least he'll do is strangle him with grape vines, although I don't think that's too bad a way to die. I shook my head, and started running toward the barn, because inside, was a distraught Damon getting attacked by half a dozen Ares and Hephaestus campers.

Just then, his got knocked onto the ground, his sword flying away from him. A sneering Ares kid was about to kill him (considering the no mercy stances of the sword fight) when out of the blue, a certain horse's leg went sailing through the air, hitting the off-guard camper right in the temple. Ouch.

* * *

**I'm giving you pie this chapter. Invisible pie. Hope you enjoy it! Now review and vote on my poll ASAP! **


	16. Karate Horse

**The Ocean Is My Inkwell** – I am not giving you _two_ cookies. Morpheus' message was supposed to be cryptic. I like making my readers think. Is that bad? xP You like Arabs? Flighty little things, although they are pretty cool…btw, the chef says thanks! Any suggestions on how to lesson the drag?

**Griffy** – Sorry you don't like pie. You like cake? I'll have him make that next time, okies? And key word is _almost_…I hate it when they do that, and pull a 'I'm lame, sorry' thing, especially at compys. Did you get any ribbons? And I swear my cliffies are not that bad, they're only minor, and I have to get to sleep BEFORE one in the morning preferably….

**i-rock-101** – Happy you enjoy it. :)

HAYDENpfan – You have a driver's license? You must be old. :D Oh, and invisibly pie tastes like whatever your favorite pie is. I think I might have ADHD too though, I have the shortest attention span ever! It's like, 5 minutes at most. You guys are lucky that I haven't quit writing this…hehe, good point about 'butter' flies. And you better get to liking oatmeal, cuz that's all you'll be eating for about two weeks after you get your braces…

**BHG** – I hope you don't like Nico like that…that would be weird. But why do you feel sorry for him? He's just ticked cus Percy got the quest _again_.

**Belle95** – It's 6 versus 3 silly! I said _half_ a dozen people. Doh. And I just had to make Nico over-react, I couldn't help it.

* * *

The random horse that saved Damon was none other than Moondance. The Moondance that had influenza. My Moondance. Ok, I'll admit that sounded really corny, but I don't give. He pranced out of the stall, the spitting image of Buck (you know, from Home on the Range? In all his criminal-butt-kicking-and-karate-moves glory), except he was gray. I smiled as he planted a firm kick in another kid's stomach. That has got to hurt.

I ran over, knowing he needed back up, because Damon didn't look like he was getting up any time soon.

"Hey Buck, you're doing an awesome job!" I smiled as I cut the two unconscious kids on the floor in their arms, and Dance tried another karate move.

"Ari, behind you!" Damon said frantically, proving that he was awake. I spun around to catch this guy about to throw a bag over my head. He almost succeeded. Almost. I moved to the side just in time to see him fall flat on his face, as he was bracing for the impact of bagging me. As he lay there, groaning, I took the opportunity to cut him. He went silent.

I pivoted in a half circle. Dance had a couple of open wounds from the two kids' swords, and Damon was about to be tied up by the last kid. I decided that I would help Dancer, as Damon could knock the camper's lights out pretty easy.

I saw that one of the kids who was dodging Dancer's hooves had spun around, ready to attack me. Somehow, I didn't think this kid was going to be as easy as the last one. Whatever. I manage to avoid all of his advances, and suddenly saw my chance and attacked. I pressed him back all the way back into a stall door, much to the Max's dismay, as it was his stall.

He seemed to be trying to put me on the defensive, but I didn't budge. I feinted to the left, knowing the guy would fall for that. I quickly reached to the left and nicked his arm, blood oozing slightly from the wound. Blood. Yuck. I grimaced and turned to see Damon standing triumphantly above a very bewildered, tied up Hephaestus cabiner. Moondance was doing something similar, a hint of pride in his eyes. He had a hoof rested on the wiggling form of an Ares girl. I grinned. That's my guys.

"_Woohoo! I was sooo cool Ari! Did you see me?"_ he said, satisfied with himself.

"Yup, you were pretty cool for a horse who is supposed to be in his stall, with influenza!" I pointed at his stall. He coughed slightly, the glint in his eye dropping; he looked sick again.

"Gods, that was a quick change." I noted at his suddenly sickly form.

"_Adrenaline rush."_ Was all he said.

"He needs to go back and rest." Damon commented, looking concerned.

"What is it?" I asked, suddenly worried that he knew something I didn't.

"He has a pretty deep wound on this side. We have to tend to it before it gets infected." Jeez, my boyfriend sounded liked the freaking vet. But I guess that's what he was.

"Go start with all the medical mumbo jumbo. I have to knock there bozos here out before they act up. Besides, I'm the only one with a sword." I realized that Damon's sword had just kind of disappeared. "What happened to your weapon?" I asked him.

"I'll show you later." Damon notified me, grinning smugly. He then headed for the medical cabinet to get some stuff.

I walked over to the kid Dancer had under his feet, and quickly cut his arm. I had barely started un-possessing camp and I'm already tired of it. Satisfied that the camper was in a state of shock, I nudged Dancer back into the stall.

"Rest." I ordered him as I left to attend to the other kid, who had somehow managed to untie himself. Joy, another duel. Life really hates me. He was standing in the doorway, sword raised.

Just then, Damon appeared behind him, his sword raised. He mouthed me the words "Should I?" I nodded, and distracted him, taking a lunge at his left side, figuring that would leave the right arm of his un-protected for Damon. Damon, though, wasn't good with a sword, and missed loads of times. I rolled my eyes and kept attacking, but he was forcing me into defensive, driving me farther and farther into the stall. I bumped into Dancer, but he quickly moved out of the way, not in the mood to fight some more.

"Switch places, you distract." I mouthed to Damon, who seemed to understand. He quickly ran his sword down the guy's arm. The guy's right arm. Now he does it. The camper stopped suddenly, dead still. He was murmuring something inaudible, and I just shrugged it off. I pushed him out of the stall, and he just fell limp on the floor, right outside the door. He lay there with the other unconscious kids. I moved him slightly out of my path, then turned to Damon. He had in his hand the first aid kit, and loads of wraps and bandages. We went back into the stall.

* * *

After we had Dancer all patched up and on his food, the other horses munching softly on their morning meals, Damon and I heard the horn and headed for breakfast. Thank gods the Apollo cabin didn't glare daggers at me like last time, as did the other tables. I went to find Nico at our table, talking to my half-brother.

"So, what's up?" I asked, unaware of anything going on, as I sat down next to Percy, facing Nico.

"Well, Percy's going on a quest, so I though I'd fill him in." Nico told me.

"Did I really attack you?" Percy asked, looking surprised at himself.

"Yup. And a scary sight it was." I laughed softly and Percy punched me in the arm playfully.

"I was thinking, sis, that maybe you would come on the quest with me and Nico?" Percy asked. I looked at Nico with that I-thought-you-told-him look. He shrugged.

"Haven't gotten there yet." He said nonchalantly. My brother looked confused. I looked at my brother.

"I can't go, Perce" I told him bluntly.

"Why not? A quest! It'll be so fun!" Percy tried to convince me to go.

"Yeah, it'll be so great being on a quest with my cousin to find some demon cruise ship and bring back his girlfriend, getting chased ceaselessly by mythological Greek monsters." Nico muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well?" Percy said, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I can't go…because, that's what Luke wants." I said the name Luke bitterly, picking up and biting into my toast, while Percy buttered his, and Nico took a sip of his drink.

"So?" He acted as if it didn't matter that I was, like, number one on their hit list of people to imprison and torture (or something extremely similar), which I'm pretty sure is a _very_ long list.

"Perce, you idiot. I have plenty of things to do as is, and going on a quest and getting captured by the minions of the evil Lord Kronos is not one of them." I said, my voice full of finality. I hoped my dopey bro got the message.

"_I am not dopey!"_ He protested in his thoughts. I giggled.

"_How come the only time you ever read my thoughts is when I'm insulting you?"_ I asked jokingly. He just shot me a look, and Nico looked at us weirdly.

* * *

**Here are your cookies! See ya next chappie, and don't forget to review! **


	17. Meeting

**Aechiles** – I never gave you any oatmeal!?

**Griffy** – so you like cupcakes, cookies and muffins? Ok, good to know. I feel sorry for you 'cus you went to all the trouble of going to a show and then your horse is acting funny. But you were the youngest in the ring, which is a good thing (I think).

**HAYDENpfan** – You said 'I want a car' so I figured you could drive. Poor you has 3 brothers? Jeez, I only have to live with my friends' siblings and I still can't stand them. 'horse' fly bite as bad as horses though, so I guess that is a resemblance…and I would lend you a virtual horse, but I'm spending too much time brooding over the fact I won't be able to ride for a very long while. And poor you also has a horse-hating mom. My mom just does après riding on the stable's carriage horses. But you are lucky you knows people who have horses! I know none of the sort…

**Belle95** – Ya, at least he's going at all. And yes she does, but she goes and…oh, you'll see. I don't wanna spoil it…

**Eternity of Night** – Why would I want to do that now? I have a whole set of books (or whatever you wanna call it) planed for Ari and co. And we can –BOOM! - try –CRASH! - it! –small explosion-

**Gryphonfeather** – Thanx! And I'm somewhere between the age of 1 and 100. I have no idea where your 'pony socks' are, and I will not explain to you what poop is! –gives you scared look-

**BHG** – Glad you like it, and I gave out cookies last time since some people don't like pie, I've never given anyone cake yet…yet!

**Short chapter...**

* * *

When I was finished eating, I went to talk to Chiron.

"Do the campers know?" I asked him.

"No, they don't." He said, not seeing what I was getting at.

"We need to rid Kronos's spirit of the campers, before they attack us." I told him.

"Ah…but surely you and the others that know can take care of them right now?" He looked at me.

"Chiron, there are at least two hundred and fifty campers, more than half of which are in this semi-conscious state. We need more than five people to go do it." I protested.

"Why don't we just call a cabin leader meeting? That would be much easier. Then we could take care of Percy's quest as well."

"Fine, Chiron. But let's do it _now_." Chiron shot me an irritated look, but stood up to make the announcements. I went and sat down, satisfied. Chiron was now at the podium, and stomped his hooves to get the campers' attention. The room fell into a hush, and everyone turned to face him.

"It seems we have some disturbing news. The campers that are asleep are actually being possessed by parts of Kronos' soul." Everyone started whispering to each other at that. "Everyone is to get armed with swords or knives. No arrows." The Apollo cabin all groaned in objection, but stopped when Chiron cleared his throat. "There will be a meeting right after breakfast. Everyone else continue normal activities until your cabin leaders have returned with news on what to do. That will be all." Chiron then went and sat down at his own table with a grumbling Dionysus.

* * *

Everyone who needed to be there was at the Big House now. There was me, Chiron, Mr. D Percy, Nico, Damon, a Hephaestus guy labeled Beckendorf, an Aphrodite girl named Silena, some tough, stringy haired girl dubbed Clarisse, a gray eyed Annabeth look alike named Emma, two elfish brothers, Travis and Conner (who were the only ones from their cabin awake), Damon's brother, Jay, and a quiet girl of Demeter's named Lily.

You're probably wondering how I know their names. Easy, I read Percy's mind.We all sat around a big table in a room, and on the table were snacks and drinks, even though we just ate.

"So what are we here for?" Asked a very bored Mr. D, looking up from his (what else?) wine magazine.

"Well, it seems that the campers who are asleep will wake up under Kronos' possession and attack the other campers." Chiron started.

"We need to cut every one of them in the right upper arm to de-possess 'em." I piped up.

"So all we need to do is tell our sisters and brothers to go back to the cabin and cut our siblings in the arm, then they'll be normal again?" inquired Emma. I nodded.

"Easy." Travis said.

"Is that it?" asked an impatient Silena, who was filling her nails to perfection.

"And there's a quest." Chiron said.

"Who's is it? Not Percy's I hope." Clarisse sneered.

"It's Percy's." Nico said glumly.

"Damn." She responded. I could tell she wasn't the friendliest camper, or someone to mess with.

Beckendorf stood up and stretched, even though we just got there. "I'll go start with getting the campers un-Kronos-ed." Silena giggled. It was so obvious she liked him, although that's completely irrelevant.

"Everyone can go, except the people concerning the quest." Chiron said. Once the other campers and Mr. D had cleared out, Chiron looked at Percy.

"Are you accepting the quest?"

"Uh…ya, sure." Percy said hesitantly. I couldn't quite figure out what was going on in his mind that made him uncertain, even though I could read his thoughts.

"Then go see the oracle." Chiron said, pointing to the staircase. Percy groaned, but got up anyways, heading upstairs. He turned around when he was a couple steps up. "Will someone go get Grover for me?" he asked. Chiron nodded.

"Ariel, go get him." He told me.

"Hello, I don't who he is, or where for that matter."

"Oh, right. Damon, go with her." And that was the end of that.

* * *

We soon got back with my brother's satyr friend, a hairy guy with a goatee, red hair and a Rasta cap, who walked with a funny limp. When we got into the meeting room, Percy was waiting for us.

"So, who's going with you?" Chiron asked Percy.

"Nico's going." Nico smiled (which looked scary on him), even though he already knew he was being picked.

"And Grover." He said. "I would bring Ari along, although she refuses to go." He added. Grover looked surprised and turned to me.

"That's exactly what Luke wants." I told him.

"Oh." He seemed to understand.

"Anyways, what was the prophecy?"

* * *

**Okies, I know that some people here like cupcakes (coughGriffycoughcough), so chef made my favorite lemon ones with vanilla icing and rainbow sprinkles. Yay!! **


	18. Deciphering the prophecy

**Whoot! I wrote a prophecy and it sucks! Isn't that just so cool? **

**WinterMisson** – Let's call it a coincidence, shall we? Besides, it's just my middle name, so it's not as bad as if it were my first name…and well, you waited till now for the next chappie. See, you can wait! Hehe…

**Griffy** – have you ever tried pancakes with brown sugar and lemons? Those are totally freaking awesome! And yes, I do like you. That's why I'm giving people…oh, nm, you can wait till the end of the chapter to find out what I'm giving you…

**i-rock-101** – Thank you for updating? You're weird. And I'm glad you love cupcakes!

**HAYDENpfan** – only icing and sprinkles? Shame on you, the lemon stuff is sweet! I think this chapter is short too though…And that is a disgrace! Not even touching a horse. Your mom must be really weird, no offense. And welcome to the we-can't –go-riding-for-a-long-time club!

**Belle95** – Happy you like non-invisible food. But complain to the invisible chef, he only just figured out how to make stuff visible…and Percy hasn't hesitated going to the oracle.

**Aechiles** – Does it look like I care if the oracle is capital 'O' or not? I don't, correct. And I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!...and cupcakes…

**Gryphonfeather** – You're creepy :) and no need to apologize for being bored… and what kind of forum is Percy's RPG? Otherwise there's no point in me advertising it, cus I don't know what the Hades it is!

**loopygirl33** – Are you hyper? You're using too many smiley faces :P

**BHG** – Fine, yours can be chocolate, but don't tell anyone! lolz, and Ariel isn't going on a quest just yet; that'll be in one of the sequels (yes, I am so cool that I already have them planned! Now I just have to write them…) This book is like an intro to her totally psyched life, you know; like the dance'll go completely wrong or something, or she'll – OMG! Your making me give away the rest of the story! Ugh!

* * *

"So, what is it?" I asked once we were settled down.

"_Three shall travel to Poseidon's domain,_

_To find the demon ship on the back of a crane,_

_To save thee beloved you shall succeed,_

_But fail a friend in time of great need,_

_If you wish to stay in one piece, _

_It is advised you return before the dance on Olympus."_

"The first line speaks for itself, the second one, not so much." said Nico.

"Crane…" I mulled. There had to be some connection with Greek mythology and cranes. The only cranes I could think of were the ones that were always fighting with the Pygmies. I told this to the group.

"Why would they say that though? It's not like we'll meet up with Pygmies in the middle of the ocean and side with the cranes, who'll take us to the ship." Percy said incredulously.

"Au contraire, Perce. Expect the unexpected. We're half-bloods here!" I told my brother, who was thinking I was crazy.

"She's right, anything can happen. Remember when we first found out that we were half Greek god? That just proves it." Damon backed me up. Percy glared at him.

"_To save thee beloved you shall succeed._ Basically means that you'll get them back." supposed Grover. I shot him a no-duh look.

"_But fail a friend in a time of great need._ I don't like the sound of that." Chiron looked worried, although Nico looked indifferent.

"Who's the friend? I mean there Blackjack, and Annabeth, Nico and Grover. That's a lot of people to fail." Percy said, apprehensive.

"Well, you can't tell from what the oracle or Dad says, it's always cryptic and vague." Damon put in.

"_Stupid oracle."_ He said in his thoughts.

"_No need to get offensive Perce!"_ I told him in my thoughts. Percy rolled his eyes. Grover looked at Percy expectantly.

"I can talk to her in my thoughts." He filled Grover in.

"Oh."

"_If you wish to stay in one piece,_ _it is advised you return before the dance on Olympus…" _Repeated Chiron.

"I take it has something to do with Athena turning Percy into an owl or something if he doesn't come back with Annabeth by summer solstice." Damon deciphered it.

"Huh?" I asked, wondering what Athena had against Percy. "I know that Athena and Poseidon are rivals, but that doesn't really explain why she wants to pulverize Perce."

"Athena doesn't like having Percy and Annabeth together, and she still hates Poseidon's guts, so she automatically hates any of his kids." Grover told me.

"Oh. That's nice." I said. He laughed.

"Sure."

"But when is summer solstice?" Asked Percy.

"_Talk about dim." _

"_Hey!" _

"It's June 20th." Chiron told him.

"What's the date today?" He asked. I think being possessed by Kronos somehow made him stupid.

"It's the 13th tomorrow." Chiron replied.

"That gives us one week. Great." Percy said doubtfully.

"Come on, you've done way bigger quests then this in a week." Reassured Grover, patting him on the back.

"Ya, sure." He said, not sounding very convinced.

"Is he any god with the sword?" I asked randomly, just to get on his nerves.

"Yes, I am." He snapped back, obviously irritated. I grinned.

"Prove it. Duel." I responded.

"You are so on!" he retorted. Everyone put their head in their hands and groaned. I looked at them.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"I don't think this is gonna end well." Grover said, looking up.

"Yup, 'cus my sis is so goin' down!" Percy assumed. Ha, I'll show him.

"Just you wait." I told him slyly.

"What do you have up your sleeve?" Damon questioned in a whisper.

"I don't know, I just know I can beat him." I whispered back. He raised an eye brow in the 'yeah right' look.

"He's the best swordfighter of the time, after Luke. Not something to mess with." He warned me. I didn't care. I could read his mind, after all.

Percy stood up. "Let's go to the sword fighting arena."

"Ok then, quest members, you'll leave tomorrow at eight am. Come prepared, ok? Maybe ask a girl to help you." Chiron told them. I snickered.

"Why do we need a girl's help?" Percy asked, insulted.

"Because we're cooler than guys, smarter than guys, and better at most everything compared to guys." It just hit me that I was in a room surrounded by them. Oops.

Chiron cleared his throat uneasily. "Well, we'll see you off tomorrow. Meet in front of cabin three, because that's closest to the sea. And Ariel, don't kill him while you're sword fighting."

I stuck my tongue out at Percy. "See, even Chiron thinks I'm better than you at sword fighting."

"I never said that!" Chiron protested.

"You implied it though. Now let's go!" I then got up and left for the sword fighting arena, everyone else close behind me.

* * *

**Ok, 100+ review anniversary! Everyone gets (visible) devil's chocolate cake with home made chocolate icing, warm chocolate fudge, and vanilla ice cream on top. Ooh! And don't forget the caramel…heh, enjoy!! And can you suggest names for a mare which is white, with loads of different colored spots? Thanks! **


	19. I whoop my brother's sorry butt

**Peoples, when someone is being insensitive, is it: "Insensitive much?" or "sensitive much?" I'm really dumb, so I don't know :D I'm also evil, don't forget that. I wrote two chapters and I'm still only posting one. See, aren't I evil? Hehe… **

**Eternity of Night** – Do you need to go to the loony bin? Lolz, and no, I will not call the horse Poopy Snow, that name would better fit this total b-- at school :)

**Belle95** – Glad you liked that chapter. And why only the vanilla ice cream? That's the boringest part...and what strange names!

**i-rock-101** – heh! Are you guy? Cus that means that you actually admitted it! That would be so cool! xP

**HAYDENpfan** – Your mom sounds a lot like my mom, except the fact that after about the time I was seven, she gave up trying to get me not-horsy, and let me do whatever with horses (including the fact that when I was 8 I spent all day in the summer at the barn!!) and tried being horsy herself. And I feel sorry for you, cus I find it really tempting to go riding if there's a horse around…

**Thesilverhunter** – glad you enjoyed the treat! lolz, I actually am eating that tomorrow in real. Yay me!

**loopygirl33** – calm down! Sheesh, you are worse than Griffy on a sugar high. But I guess hyperness can be a good thing…

**Aechiles** – Thanks for correcting me. And, uh, the part is supposed to be there's, but I'm too lazy to fix it, the second one, wikipedia said that the summer solstice this year was on the 20th, so blame wikipedia, and third, I don't think it really matters (that's what dad and the computer said anyways). Invisible chef says your welcome, and I will not name a mare, of all things, after you. :P

* * *

I stood in the ring, across from Percy, my sword raised. Nico would be the referee, and Grover and Damon would pour water on our heads when they saw necessary. I had no idea why I felt like challenging Percy, I just did. I figured that cutting peoples' arms would be easy enough, with everyone working at it. Anyhow, back to the sword fight.

"Go!" Nico called. Percy attacked, and tried to press me. Tried. I didn't let him though. I actually started pushing him back. I noticed a small crowd gathering, and watching with mouths agape. I wasn't really that good, was I?

"_I'm gonna feint, then attempt to disarm."_ He thought. Too bad I can read his thoughts; he forgot though, so he couldn't tell I knew what he was up to.

He feinted, but I didn't flinch. I saw the surprise on his face, and I grinned.

"It's like you can read my mind!" He said aloud. I didn't respond, I just attacked. Swords clashing, I pressed him back more and more. He feinted again. I didn't see it coming, and brought Whisperer down on Riptide, which almost fell out of Percy's hand on impact. He was breathing hard, and was wavering slightly.

Grover took this as his cue, and poured a cup of water on his head. My brother suddenly appeared reenergized, and had a determined look in his eyes. He smiled, and attacked fiercely. He pushed me back, more and more, with each clash of swords. He had put me in defensive, exactly what I was trying to avoid. If he kept this up, I would be down in no time.

"Water!" I told Damon, who immediately drenched me. I quickly took a slash at Percy's shoulder. Percy didn't see it coming; he though he'd sealed my fate by going offensive just now. How wrong he was. He barely managed to jump back, but was left with a small cut.

"_That stings."_ He thought. He had his sword held out in front of him, and I attempted to disarm him. He was _very_ strong though, and pushed back. I immediately withdrew my sword, knowing that wasn't how I was going to win the match. I decided to attack his legs.

I sliced at his leg, and he jumped back. I tried again; no luck. I looked up to see my brother's eyes narrowed. He attacked my stomach area, but I parried each thrust. I then attacked to his left. He thought I was feinting, and didn't block. I scratched his torso with the edge of my sword, and he just looked at me like oh-no-you-didn't.

"Throw the water on the sword!" Percy yelled to Grover urgently. Grover did as Percy told, but I willed the water to return to the cup before it reached Riptide. I smirked at Percy, who glared daggers at me.

"Cheat!" He accused. He had the water come out and head towards him again. I told the water to do the opposite, and go back to the cup. We fought with the water, which was sloshing back and forth continuously, unsure of whom to listen to. Eventually the water just went back to the cup, like it was tired. I was tired though, from all that willing. Damon saw this and poured another cup of water on me before my brother could react. I shot him a grateful look, and then turned back to Percy.

I pushed Percy again, feeling fresh. I put him in defensive, and I could tell he wasn't going to hold out much longer. Grover just had to ruin it though, and poured water on Percy. Yay! Not.

I continued to press him though, and didn't let up, much to my brother's dismay. He kept trying to put me in defensive, but just left big gaps in his own defense. I tried to use this to my advantage, but he had very precise jabs when he tried to make me defend myself. We went on like this for quite a while. We were both sweaty and tired by now, so we had to end it soon.

We stood there, our swords against each other. Percy was pushing hard down on my sword; it was like arm wrestling, but our swords were the arms. I was never going to get out of this with my dignity without water.

"Damon!" I called, hoping he would get the idea.

"Oh no you don't…" Percy said harshly. I could see him straining to get the water away from me. I let him, because with his attention there, I could put enough pressure on my sword to disarm him. I put all my weight on my sword, and slowly Percy was getting disarmed, without even realizing it. I guess Damon was re-throwing the water when it returned to the cup, because Percy let out an exasperated sigh.

I put all my weight and focus on my sword now, pushing more and more. And then, with a big clang, Riptide fell to the floor. I stumbled a bit, but got my footing back in time to put Whisperer up to my brother's neck. Everyone let out a gasp.

"Dead." I declared. I had beat one of the best swordsmen of the time without training. How cool is that?!

"I want a re-match!" Percy whined. "Nico! It wasn't fair, was it?" He asked our cousin hopefully.

"Fair and square, Percy." Percy sulked, but Nico just smirked.

"Well, that proves it Perce, I'm better than you at sword fighting!" I boasted. "I feel tired now. How long have we been at it?" I asked Damon. He looked at his watch.

"Half an hour." He replied.

"Half a stinking hour? No wonder I feel half dead."

"You're no where near dead, trust me on that one, cuz." Nico told me. I smiled weakly.

"Well, I'm gonna go take a nap before I black out." I declared, starting to saunter off to my cabin. On the way out, I saw Clarisse.

"You're good, for Prissy's sister." She commented. I smiled in acknowledgement and kept walking. When I got to my cabin, I took a cold shower, then went and collapsed on my bed, sleeping.

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**Okies, here are your cookies, now review! I'll see you tomorrow –yawns- jeez! It's already 11.45. G'night! **


	20. Chatting

**My chappies are having a lot of dialog from now until...whenever. Enjoy!**

**HAYDENpfan** – I just _had_ to use that for the chapter title –mischievous grin- and I'm glad you like the action. Well, there is plenty of action to come…-grins again, this time sinisterly- and the horses are coming…it sounds like you have a very irritating brother (I should know, I'm an only, so anyone messing with my keyboard is completely intolerable…unless of course it's me messing up my mom's keyboard…hehe) The chef says that 'thanx chef' is enough, cuz it's his job. Well, at least you have an aunt that's got horses! lolz, I am the only horsey person in my family, which sucks because when I start ranting about how Anky should have beat Isabell, and how Salinero is better than Satchmo everyone is like 'wtf?'(your probably like that now too, but watevs.)

**i-rock-101** – Glad you love the cookies! And the chapter, although I bet you like the cookies more :)

**loopygirl33** – you like saying that to me, don't you? lolz…the whole great story and can't wait till the next chapter thing. But I guess it's a good thing that you review anyways, so I'll just shut my big trap…

**Griffy** – YAY! You're back! lolz, where ya been? And I'll slip you some of the chocoholic stuff now –passes it under table- enjoy! And are you questioning my authoryness by telling me who should of won the sword fight?! Hehe, okies, and 34 chapters with a paragraph each? What a pain…

**Aechiles** – No, you can't have a Danish. Chef don't like them, and neither do I. So no. :P and just kill the cookie monster, like any normal half-blood would. Wait…you're the _almighty god of time_, shouldn't you be able to kill it with a flick of your hand or something?

**Belle95** – OMG! what is up with you and weirdness? You don't like chocolate, you love weird names, and you have odd favorite letters. What are you? An alien? Jk, jk, don't kill me! lolz…

* * *

I woke up when it was time for lunch. I quickly got dressed and headed to lunch. When I got there, I sat with Percy, who was glowering at me.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"Cheat." He said bluntly, and then turned back to his food. I looked across at Nico, who shrugged. I then looked at the Apollo table, searching for Damon. I caught his eye, and nodded my head toward the moping Percy. He just shrugged and rolled his eyes. How helpful.

I ate dinner quickly, not wanting to catch some of Percy's depression (I've heard it's contagious). I don't know what is with him; it was just a stinking sword fight! I guess he was worried about losing face.

"Well, don't say I never told ya so." I said before I got up and headed to the stables. I caught up with Maya on the way.

"So, they woke you up, huh?" I asked as I continued walking.

"Mmmhmm." She paused to show me the scar on her arm. "It was freaking scary; I had these scary visions about how the world would be if Kronos ruled." I cringed just at the thought. She continued.

"After that, it was like he had control over us, and made us do things like we were robots; my body would only respond to what _he_ told us to do. When I got cut, he went all 'no…no…NO!' in that creepy voice of his. And then I woke up, and was back to normal."

"Sounds fun." I remarked wryly. Maya stifled a laughed.

"So, how were the horses for the day or so I was out? I heard that Ali's still out."

"We managed. Or should I say Damon managed." She smiled.

"How's Dancer then?" My face darkened at the mention.

"They somehow gave him Influenza." I informed her. Her expression darkened as well.

"So how's he fairing? Good I hope."

"He's good. You should have seen him this morning though!" So I went on to tell her about how Moondance did a total Buck, and kicked some butt. She burst out laughing.

"Oh my gods! That must've been so cool!" She said once she had stopped laughing.

"It was great. But he got a couple cuts while he was at it." She had a worried look on her.

"Anything too bad?" Maya asked.

"Nothing that Damon couldn't stitch up." I replied. She giggled.

"Does he do everything for you or something?"

"No! It's just that he's the son of Apollo, so I figure he's better with that kind of stuff."

"Whatever, Ari. I think we need to get some training done today though. I'm itching to jump."

"Let me guess, the whole 5 feet?" I turned to face her. She nodded excitedly.

"Are there any good jumpers here?" I questioned her, as I hadn't seen any horses that looked of great jumping ability.

"Oh, jumpers nowadays come in the least expected forms." She told me. I raised an eyebrow.

"Show me who this 'unexpected' one is on our way to Dancer, since he's way at the back in 'quarantine'?" I asked.

"Sure." She answered. By now we had arrived in the stables. Maya lead my to a stall which held an average sized, average looking white mare, with differently colored spots. Yes, spots. Like an appaloosa almost, but this thing would never make the registry, she was so strangely colored. One spot was gold, another black, it was like someone played paintball on her, only the markings had smooth edges. She had glass eyes, a pale blue. I definitely hadn't seen her when I was here the last couple of times.

"_You jump with Maya?"_ I asked in astonishment.

"_Ya, like no duh!"_ She told me in a cheer leader like voice.

"What's her name?" I asked, turning to Maya.

"Sprinkles."

"Creative. But it fits her well. Wanna go for a trail ride?" I asked.

"Like old times?" A smile crept onto Maya's face. So much for training.

"Just like old times!" We high-fived.

"Awesome!"

"I'll go get Max, since I doubt Moondance is in any condition to come with us, he's had quite a hectic couple of days." Maya nodded understandingly. So much for seeing Dancer too…

"You'll fill me in on the ride?" Maya looked hopeful.

"Totally. We really need to catch up…" I said, realizing I didn't feel like tacking up completely.

"Why don't we go bareback?" Maya said.

"Just what I was thinking!" I exclaimed. It was like we could read each other's minds. We squealed and jumped up and down. Just like when we were little. I smiled as we did our secret handshake.

Somebody, or some bodies, cleared their throats behind us. Maya and I turned to see a very bewildered and bemused looking Damon and a friend of his. I blushed, and Maya followed suit.

"Hi." I said quickly, trying to stop blushing. I think I sounded really stupid. Scratch that, I did sound stupid. Damon just looked at me, with the trademark look with his eye brow raised.

"Another one of those things you don't ask about." I told him. He grinned.

"You two are almost as bad as the Aphrodite's!" Damon said.

"It's called being a girl." Maya said, rolling her eyes and making it sound like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it was.

"So, where you two going?" Damon asked.

"For a ride; you know, catch up, gossip." Maya said casually.

"And before you ask, no, you can _not_ come." I added sternly. Damon pouted in disappointment (?!).

"Do you see girls at the mall go shopping with their boyfriends?" I asked. He shook his head. "Exactly." Damon looked confused. Damon's friend nudged him, and whispered something in his ear.

"Oh, and this is Mark, son of Athena." Damon quickly introduced his friend, who I noticed had Athena's trademark gray eyes and blonde hair. Mark smiled. He was about our age.

"Hi. She's Ari, daughter of Poseidon." Maya motioned toward me.

"Hey." I said.

"And I'm Maya, daughter of Hermes."

"Anyhow, TTYL." I turned to My.

"Halters?" She asked.

"Yup. Where are they?" I asked. She pointed to the hooks that were aligned alongside Sprinkle's name plaque, each holding a piece of the horse's equipment. It was then I realized that all the horses had them; silly, unobservant me.

"Oh, I new that." I said, giving her a childish grin. She rolled her eyes. I went to Max's stall.

"_Going for a ride?"_ He asked as I approached.

"Mmmhmm." I muttered as I picked up his halter and went into the stall. I slipped the huge thing on, and gripping the lead rope, led him out of the stall and to the mounting block. I got on after a couple of tries (and plenty of snickers on my best friend's part).

"_Know a trail Max? A nice trail where I don't get hit in the head with branches_?" I asked him.

Max nodded. _"Follow me."_

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**Cookies! Review and get your cookies! Heh…**


	21. Gone

**You better be happy I bothered writing tonight, cus my French mani is still soft. I also just finished reading I am the Great Horse for the millionth time…Gods, I dunno where my story is going…it's gonna end up like 30 chapters! Maybe not, but I have to finish it before school starts on Monday –breaks down crying- I hate school! I call it living Hades. –sniffled then stops crying- Anyhow, I think I'm going to end it with the totally whacked up summer dance. That's only because it's going to go too slow otherwise, and I'm already starting the sequel. You are probably going 'wtf?' right now…**

**IMPORTANT – if I ever just say 'cookies' that mean they're whatever flavor you want them to be!**

**Griffy** – Your welcome, that's what friends are for. xD and it's fine if you only review at 9…whatever happened to your own writing though? Hmm? Ya well, have fun with Squirt!

**HAYDENpfan** – I dunno how you ollow a horse, and I don't know how you follow one either, but whatever. So poor you has three brothers? Are you the youngest? That must be really fun…are you ok? And I don't care if Luke doesn't like me, cuz I'm gonna whoop his butt later in the story/series at sword fighting. :( German shepherd…reminds me of Fanta –cries- gods I miss her. And your aunt has two horses? TB and AQH…Lucky! My parents' best friends have two horses. Tali is a totally cool TB who does dressage and Ram is a 28-32 year old trake-qh cross I think… Ok, that was completely random…

**i-rock-101** - -rolls eyes- Thanx, and don't think you're getting extra cookies…

**Aechiles** – You're too lazy to do anything! Jeez. And I'll go correct it later…and to answer your question, because. Just because. I'm not going to say anymore than that. :P

**Belle95** – Are you 100 sure you aren't an alien? And what in the underworld is Twilight?! And that is a whole lot of things to want to be. And you're just plain weird. And I'm serving blondies tonight, but not for you, just because I like them, and am getting bored with cookies…

**Eternity of Night** – Whatever ya say, whatever ya say… have fun blowing up your town! –BOOM!-

**huffle-bibin** – lolz, glad you like it. And her mom is !! (Do you think I would actually tell you, and ruin it?) And besides, I just had to do a story where the horses have a key role in the story. And the prophecy was nothing, considering I threw it together in about 10 minutes at nine in the morning (I'm a night person, just so ya know…)

**loopygirl33** – your question is answered above, and I can literally predict what you were gonna say anyhow, so you can keep saying 'you know exactly what I'm gonna say' on your reviews xD

**BGH** – Happy you like it. And the cookies are whatever-you-want-them-to-be flavor!

* * *

Maya and I had almost finished our ride, which turned out to be about two hours of non stop chatter, which the horses didn't like. And just when we were on our way back – bam! An evil half blood jumped out of nowhere. And this one wasn't in a trance; oh no. He looked straight at me.

"You wanna do this the easy or hard way?" he requested

"The hard way." He smirked, ad drew his sword. I pressed the charms on my bracelet, turning them into my sword and shield.

"You sure you wanna do this Ari?" asked Maya uneasily. I nodded.

"_Can you do war horse?"_ I asked Max hopefully.

"_It'd be easier with tack."_ He replied. I pushed the charms to see if they worked on whatever horse I was riding. Of course, it worked. Max was a bit surprised, and jumped back.

"_Easy, Max. Now, are you ready?"_ I questioned.

"_As much as I'll ever be." _Max said. I smiled and raised my sword, giving Max the aid to go forward. The guy looked a little scared for a moment, but quickly regained his composure. I had the upper hand, me being on the horse.

Our swords clashed, and the guy immediately attempted to disarm me. I was fast enough to pull Whisperer away before he succeeded, then continued attacking. Max was a good too – he dodged and pivoted all the guy's blows, staying balanced and prepared.

Our swords clashed numerous times in the next couple of minutes. Soon, he was desperately trying to get me out of offensive. He never succeeded, and just like with Percy, he left huge gaps in his defense. I started jabbing him wherever he let down his defense, and used my shield to block any of his advances.

"Apethanon me tin boitheia potizo!" The boy shouted. I somehow understood that to signify 'die by means of water'. Water shot out of the tip of his sword, coming strait for me. I let it, thinking that it would reenergize me. Instead, it sent me flying out of the saddle (or saddle pad, whatever you wanna call it.).

"_Ari!"_ Max whinnied. He came stomping over, and stood over me like a barricade. The traitor would have none of it, and stabbed Max in the stomach. Max staggered back to the corner of the clearing, wavering slightly, before collapsing on the ground behind me, breathing heavily.

"Max!" I cried. That was it; I wouldn't let this guy get away with it. I narrowed my eyes, jumping up quickly.

"Maya! Go get Damon and the first aid kit!" I ordered her urgently, looking for this guy who had hurt Max.

"Behind you!" She warned me instead.

I twisted around with my sword raised. I came face to face with him, realizing I had cut a decent sized gash in his side when I had turned. He crumpled up in pain. Serves him right.

"Maya! Go get Damon! Now!" I yelled to her, taking a quick glance towards Max's heaving body. I looked back at the guy on the floor, wondering if I should let him live or not.

"You were calling me?" I heard Damon's smooth voice as he emerged from the undergrowth on a glimmering chestnut mare, quickly flanked by Mark, on a dark bay stallion. He took a quick look at the scene before him, and then settled his eyes on the creased form in front of me. Damon squinted his eyes, like he was trying to recognize the person.

"Sam?" he asked in uncertainly. "You joined the Titans?!" His expression was that of disbelief. This 'Sam' person nodded slowly. Damon let out a deep sigh. He looked like he was about to lecture the guy or something.

"Damon!" I said urgently. He looked at me, and I signaled toward Max.

"Oh, right. Can someone get the first aid kit from the stable?" He dismounted his horse and walked over to examine Max.

"_Stay put."_ I ordered Damon's horse in my head. I then looked toward Mark and Maya.

"Which one of you'll go get it?" I asked.

"We'll both go." Volunteered Mark. I shrugged and gestured for them to get going. When they left I turned my gaze to Sam.

"Should I?" I asked Damon, raising my sword.

"Go ahead."

I closed my eyes, and stabbed the boy. He yelped one final time, and then lay lifeless. I flinched as I opened my eyes and pulled my sword out of his chest. I quickly pressed the symbol that was engraved in Whisperer's hilt, returning it to my bracelet. I then stepped around his body, walking over to Damon. I settled myself down by Max's side.

"How's he doing?" I asked as Damon checked Max's pulse.

"Not good. Too much blood loss; if they don't get back here fast, he's a goner." He said miserably. He tore a part of his shirt off, and put it on the Percheron's wound. It was almost immediately soaked with blood. I winced and looked away.

"Need me to remove the tack?" I asked.

"It'd be nice." I nodded and pressed the emblems on the saddle pad and bridle. The charms returned to the chain on my wrist.

"_It…hurts…poisoned…"_ He gasped for breath. _"Tell…everyone…that I'll…miss them…Ari, take…care of camp…for me, ok?"_ He smiled one last time.

"_It'll be alright, Max, no worries."_ I whispered softly, even though I knew otherwise. I checked his pulse again. And there was nothing. Nothing at all.

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**Chef made blondies tonight! So review quick so I'll give them to you…**


	22. Chapter 22 i dunno what to call it

**Gods! After writing last night my mani got completely ruined! Mom can't be bothered to do it again, so now my nail polish has dings in it. Not that I really care, since having nail polish in school 'll get me in trouble any way you look at it. Not like I care about that, and neither does mom… And I went to the stables today (I've been on the waiting list for 2 freaking years, so I ride at a place 4 hours away), and I can not take not riding any longer! I'm way past addicted to it… And you must know beforehand, Ari is a very touchy, sensitive, emotional, sentimental type. (Just like me! Isn't that just so cool? :P)**

**annabethandpercy4ever** – I did that unconsciously. Heh, you had to point it out to me to make me realize I did that :D And yes, she did kill the guy.

**Griffy** – It's a…thing. Ask Belle95, I don't feel like explaining. And Max isn't gone for good, just so you know…And can you actually hit a brick wall while writing? I've never experienced it. I just do my anti-writer's block thing. Although the last one didn't go too well (Ariel…explosion…magical unicorn…cornflakes…mom, what's for dinner?...I wanna go riding…what is up with this TV show?... water bottle…. OMFG! School starts next week…) Yeah…And don't you dare wish my brother dead! As mushy and over protective as he is, he's still my bro…

**HAYDENpfan** – it's oh my gods. And yes, Ariel killed someone, no she is not a murderer, and no, Max isn't gone forever. And I will do what I like to Luke, thank you very much. What's it like to be a middle child/ have siblings? Just out of curiosity. And frozen yogurt? Weirdo…

**Loopygirl33** – Chef says you're welcome, Max isn't 100 gone yet, and lolz…

**Belle95** – 150 sure?! Lolz…and Twilight sounds like something I wouldn't mind reading…and weirdness rules! I am a total freak, and proud of it. Really. And chef's glad you like the blondies!

**Aechiles** – Get off my back! Jeez, I'm only human! Or half-blood. Or whatever you wanna call it. And I'm still young. And as usual, you are one really dumb god of time, because if you take everyone involved in the story, there'll be no one to write the story, no one to act in it, etc. –rolls eyes- and btw, you suck even more!

**Eternity of Night** – Heh, that just might happen in the real story :P and I'm happy you still love it, although I'm not too happy about the stick that you're holding…-runs-

**i-rock-101 **– ok, cool. And if you don't hate school, you have got to be one weird chick. Not that I'm not weird, but that'd just be scary!

**Sistergrimm2** – Yup, I am so lucky I can talk to horses! lolz, it's freaking awesome! And it's good cus when I ride in the Olympics eight years from now I just tell the horse what to do telepathically, then sit there and look pretty (I do dressage, in case you're wondering)… and Max will be back…

* * *

I instantly broke down crying. He was gone. Never coming back. Dead. I only knew him for a short time, but we were still close. Damon came over and wrapped his arms around me. I sobbed into his chest, and he whispered reassuringly into my hair. After a while, Maya and Mark came back.

"Ohmygods!" Maya screeched as she jumped off Sprinkles and ran toward me and hugged me. "Is he…?" Maya asked Damon. I think he nodded, because she sighed and patted my back.

"What's with her?" Mark remarked. I pulled out of the hug and glared at him.

"Sensitive much?" I asked.

"Jeez, sor-ree!" Mark apologized sarcastically. I wiped my face with the sleeve of my shirt.

"Let's go. I don't think I can stand being around two dead things at once." I then sniffled. Damon chuckled.

"I don't think you'd like the underworld very much."

"Ya think?" I responded. He rolled his eyes.

"So which one of you am I hitching a ride with?" I asked the horses.

"You can come with me…" Damon started. I looked at him and rolled my eyes.

"I was asking the horses." I told him.

"Huh?" Mark looked clueless.

"For Athena's kid, you aren't very smart. She's a daughter of Poseidon, duh!" Maya pointed out.

"Oh ya." He said. The rest of us rolled our eyes. I then shifted my gaze to the horses.

"_Well?" _

"_Go with Sunrise."_ Sprinkles told me.

"_Which one of you is that?"_ I inquired.

"_Me."_ The chestnut said.

"_Ok then."_ I looked back at my friends. "I'm going with Damon on Sunrise." I walked over to the mare and jumped on.

"Hey! I'm supposed to get on first!" Damon protested.

"Too late." I smirked. He hopped on, and I nudged Sunrise. _"Follow the other two."_

"_Sure thing." _

* * *

"What's wrong?" Chiron asked when we (Mark, Maya, Damon and I) arrived at the Big House.

"Max is dead." Mark said straight out.

"And the award for the most blunt, ignorant person of the year goes to…Mark!" I fake announced.

"Shut up." Mark said.

"Make me." I stuck my tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes. Chiron cleared his throat (is that all he ever does to get our attention?!).

"And what was the cause of this…um…death?" He then asked us.

"Traitor." Maya said.

"Sam, to be exact." Damon then said.

"And what did you do to him? Did he get away?" Chiron questioned us further.

"I…uh…killed him…" I said sheepishly.

"Oh."

"What? Fair is fair. He kills Max, I kill him. Simple enough?" I said, agitated. I think it came out harsher than I thought though.

"Well, we would have questioned him."

"Sam is not one to talk, Chiron. Even you know that." Damon told us.

"Yes, I suppose so." The centaur answered.

"Uh... what are we gonna do with Max's…um…body?" I said croakily. It wasn't exactly a comfortable subject to talk about. I was on the verge of tears.

"We'll take care of it, no worries." Chiron said. Damon came and put his arm around my shoulders.

"Let's go check on Dancer, alright?" he said, pulling me off toward the stables.

"If this is a plan to cheer me up, it's not working." Damon chuckled at that. "But I guess Dance needs some care."

"Don't worry about it." Damon said comfortingly, his grip tightening on my shoulders slightly.

"It's just - I can't help thinking it's my fault. If I hadn't let the water hit me, then he wouldn't have needed to guard me, and then the 'Sam' person would never have stabbed him, and Max would still be here with us now." I sighed.

"It's not your fault. He did what any true war horse would have done, which is protect his rider. Besides, he's probably in Horse Elysium right now." I giggled.

"Horse Elysium?" I looked at him questioningly. "I wonder then if there's an Elysium for each species. Can you imagine speaking about it in plural? Elysiums. That sounds…weird."

"Whatever." Damon said, rolling his eyes.

* * *

"_So, how was the ride?"_ Dancer asked when we arrived at the stables (his stall to be exact).

"_Max is dead."_ I said quickly. I really didn't want to talk about it.

"_So that's why I can sense your grumpiness. But I can't be bothered to act crankily too."_ Dancer smiled. I ruffled his forelock.

"_So much for the whole 'horses responding to your mood' thing."_ I stated.

"_Hey! I am responding to your mood by being nice."_ Dancer protested. I patted his neck.

"_Mmmhmm, sure." _

"_Humph!"_ He looked like he would cross his arms (forelegs?) if he could. I giggled.

"Dancer therapy obviously worked." Damon commented. I slapped his arm playfully, but it made a loud sound.

"_Ouch." _Moondance said for Damon. I rolled my eyes. Horses.

"Come on, we've got to feed the horses." Damon said, pulling me away from my horse and toward the feed room.

"It's lunch; they only need a couple of flakes of hay each. Half of the horses haven't even been worked for the past couple of days anyhow." I said, heading away from the feed shack and toward one of the empty stalls that was filled with hay.

"Oh ya."

* * *

**Review! –hands out cookies- Gods! It's almost one in the morning…oopsies! **


	23. I get done up by an Aphrodite gal

**Yay! I just watched Lion King 2. I watch all the same movies with my dad at least once a year. xP OMG! This is so cool! My mom says she hates my school too! She even said I didn't need to go if I didn't want to…but dad's like you shouldn't drop out when you're so young…I don't really care though, I'm missing out on a social life. Not that I ever had one, but still. And I know you all want more action…just wait a couple chapters! **

**Olympiangirl** – That is so cool! I am honored xP Horses forever! Lolz…

**Gryphonfeather** – She ain't going anywhere, but there'll be action soon enough… -evil grin-

**Loopygirl33** – Gods, poor you! At one place I lived, school started in September and ended in May! We had 3 months of summer holiday! I miss that school…and Maya…gods, that was three years ago… whatve, have fun with homework…

**Aechiles** – Uncle Zeus! Aechiles was insulting you! –thunder rumbles- :P I'm Zeus's fave niece, so ha!. And I'm never gonna get that aspect of writing…I'll ask dad to edit some of the chapters later, when he comes back from wherever he is… I'm gonna go talk to my uncle and dad on Olympus...might wanna avert your eyes. –poofs to Olympus-

**Eternity of Night** - -cowers- don't kerpow me you mentally challenged psychopath! (sorry, I _had _to say that…) And don't worry! The action is coming soon…when I pulverize HAYDENpfan's boyfriend –laughs maniacally-

**HAYDENpfan** – whatever. Poor you! You have to baby sit the younger one and survive the driving of the older ones! And you're the only girl…that must be fun! Not. And Luke is _very_ troubled. That's why I'm gonna turn him into pulp in a couple of chapters. –grins evilly- And Dancer isn't dead, silly!

* * *

The next day it was time to see Percy, Nico and Grover off.

"Bye! See you next week! And tell Luke that if he ever needs his butt whooped, to come see me, ok?" Everyone laughed at my request.

"What?" I asked them innocently.

"I can't imagine Luke losing a fight to a girl." Percy said.

"Well, you better, 'cus sooner or later, it's gonna happen." I told him. My brother just rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you say, sis!" With that, he picked up his bags and started walking toward the beach. His friends followed his example.

"Have you got everything?" Chiron called after them.

"Yes!" Nico yelled back impatiently.

"Jeez, Chiron. You're not their moms!" I said.

"Well, I am responsible for them…"

"Mmmhmm, sure." I murmured sarcastically before walking into to my cabin to go back to sleep. I don't understand how people can actually wake up at this hour of their own accord (I use this invention called an alarm clock). I don't get morning people.

* * *

It was the day of the dance on Olympus. I had a completely uneventful week. It was all the same stuff, eat, sleep, whoop a couple people at sword fighting, canoe, ride, take care of Moondance. The usual. I was slowly getting over the fact that Max had died, and with a lot(I'm talking hours, people!) of convincing from everyone, I was starting to not blame myself for it. Oh, and I forgot to mention that all the campers are now de-Kronos-ized, and I didn't even have to do anything! And Maya and Mark are going out. Mark isn't so bad once you get used to him actually. Percy still hadn't returned, so I think he'll be turned into something owl related in the next couple of hours. Heh. But that's beside the point.

The dance was tonight and I still hadn't chosen a dress. Ugh! The guys have it so easy! They just have to pull on a tux and they're ready. Gods, I think I'm going to have to go to the Aphrodite cabin (insert shudder here) and borrow a dress. What has the world come to? But I guess when I rode in, unconscious and clinging to Dancer's back in my PJs a week or so ago, I hadn't thought about going to a formal party on Mount freaking Olympus.

I sighed heavily before marching out of my cabin and toward the dreaded cabin 10. I walked up the stairs, and knocked lightly on the door. A few seconds later, Selina answered the door.

"Yes?" she asked impatiently. I looked at my feet.

"Um…I need to borrow a dress for the dance tonight…" I said.

"Oh, of course!" She stepped a side and gestured for me to go inside. "Come in!" I went inside, to see the whole cabin in a flurry of activity. "Anna, take her to the dress closet. Get her something that matched her eyes, or hair." She told her younger sister.

"Sure." Anna said, motioning for me to follow her. She led me to a gigantic closet, and told me to wait outside. She came back a couple minutes later holding about twenty dresses. She held up a forest green strapless dress that ended at the knee. She shook her head.

"Ew." She said, quickly throwing it aside. She then rummaged through the dresses she had picked, looking thoughfully at a light pink gown.

"No way." I told Anna strictly. She nodded then looked back at the pile. She picked up a short black dress and handed it to me.

"Try this on." She commanded. She showed to a changing room (?!) and I slipped it on. It was sleeveless, with an open back with lacy stuff across it. It hugged the top half of me, and at my waist it fanned out a bit, and was pleated. It ended right above my knee. I showed it to her.

"It's ok." She said, biting her lip uncertainly. She then searched the piles of dresses again, pulling a sea green number. I instantly loved it. I snatched it from her and went to try it on. It was a halter dress that dragged the floor; it was extremely simple, with intricate folds that made it look real classy. I walked out of the changing room to show Anna. She lit up when she saw me in it.

"That's the one!" She said cheerfully. I nodded. "Do you need make up done or anything?" She asked hopefully.

"I'll go get cleaned up first. I'll come back in a while…"

"Ok, just leave the dress with me. Be back at least forty minutes before we're getting transported to Olympus, though, ok?" I nodded and left Aphrodite's cabin.

I went back to cabin 10 after I was all showered and ready to get made up. I walked to the cabin as slow as possible, wondering what Anna was going to do to me. When I got there, I knocked on the door, which Anna answered.

"Hey! You ready?" I nodded and followed her into Aphrodite's cabin. "Will you help me get ready afterward though?" She asked buoyantly. I hesitated but nodded anyways. How bad could it be?

She handed me my gown. I went and changed in the changing room place they had in the back, and walked out. I just realized that I needed shoes.

"Anna, what about shoes?" I questioned her.

"OMA! I almost forgot! Well, we'll do your make up first." She took hand and dragged me to make-up central, plopping me down in front of one of the millions of mirrors the cabin had. Anna ran around, gathering different kinds of make-up, then quickly scurried back. She applied everything so fast, I didn't even see what she'd done until she was done.

I looked in the mirror, and my jaw dropped. I looked great! My cheeks were slightly pink, and my lips were glossed with a bright pink. I had silver, sparkly eye shadow, and some greenish mascara on my lashes. Nothing too drastic. She'd also taken the liberty to do my hair, which was in a loose bun, held up with a silver clip that had intricate designs. A couple bangs framed my face. I smiled brightly.

"You did great!" I told Anna.

"I know I did." She smiled. "Now, for the shoes. Come with me."

I followed Anna to an enormous shoe closet. She led me over to a section that had evening heals. I looked them over, searching for something I liked. My eyes settled on a elegant pair of metallic silver sandals with ankle straps, and there was a little diamante dolphin on the I picked it up and tried them on. They fit perfectly.

"These."

"Ok, that means you're done. My turn!" She hurried out, and I shuffled along behind her. Selina came over to us on our way to wherever Anna was leading me.

"OMA! Anna did a great job. I see you picked the Amphitrite number." She looked my over. "OMA! You even picked the shoes. Gods, you must be related!" She started walking to the door, pulling me after her.

"I need to do Anna." I told her, looking back at my friend.

"I can do her, no worries. You have a date waiting for you!" She opened the door and shoved me out. I stumbled out, ad she shut the door behind me. Then, there was a rustling from the forest behind the cabin. What I saw made me scream.

* * *

**Here are your stinking cookies! Now review before I have to kerpow you with Eternity of Night's stick…**


	24. I meet my uncles

**Short chapter...**

**Anglepaw** – glad you like it :) And I just did…

**Loopygirl33** – OMA – Oh my Aphrodite. And I just _love_ torturing you with cliffies! Good for you. Here it's Saturday, so I'm being depressed cus only one more day before I go back to the Underworld on earth…

**Griffy **- :D don't die, otherwise you won't get to read the chapter. And I am so insulted! My cliffies are _not_ worse than your dad's socks! Humph!

**Eternity of Night –** Happy to use it :D Good luck with the flood though! And can you repeat the last part? I don't speak retarded…

**Aechiles **– Oh ya, I remember _very_ well! Not that I want to. If I forgot, I'd be able to irritate you even more ;) –mimics in high pitched, overly girly tone- '_I'm the GOD of time, remember?'_ And if I suck, then what do you? :P I should have made it an eternal cliffie and not update so that you would fall off the cliffie forever –laughs mainiacally- but then my other readers would die… AND YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY DANCER!! You touch her and I'll send your sorry butt back to Tartarus for a few more centuries. I have my uncle's favor anyhow…

**HAYDENpfan** – and just why not? And his dad _did_ notice him, and he tried! Hermes told me that he wanted to be there for him! He said that the Olympian laws didn't let him! Jeez, talk about advocating for your b-f. Is he too sissy to do it himself? –Luke appears with Backbiter- gods, not again! –makes a big wave wash Luke away temporarily- anyways, your dad is just too lazy. He likes you and all, but he's too busy flirting with the Hunters to talk to you. –Apollo appears, looking angry- Gods! Can anyone leave me alone? –presses shield charm and blocks all of Apollo's arrows- And you all got scared of a bunny? I remember on one residential we went on a night walk and the guys were all scared to go and all the girls were like 'what is up with that?'…that was weird… and your cousin jumped into your arms? Is he older than you? Cus that would be just way weird…

* * *

I screamed bloody murder. I almost fainted I was so scared. Because right there in front of me, was Max. You heard right, Max. I stopped and breathed.

"What's wrong Ari?" A very concerned Damon came running up to me. I couldn't speak, so I just pointed at the slowly approaching Max. He went wide eyed.

"Holy Zeus. CHIRON!!" In a matter of seconds, the centaur was next to us.

"What it is it?" He asked worriedly.

"Th-that…" I stuttered, pointing again at Max.

"_Hey Ari, what's up?"_ Max asked, as if nothing was wrong.

"Nothing much. Tonight's the dance on Olympus and you just came back from the dead." I said, trying to sound casual, as if nothing was wrong.

"_I was dead?"_ He inquired, amazed. I nodded meekly. _"Whatever."_ He shrugged it off like it was no big deal. _"I'm going to the stables. I'm hungry."_ Max then headed toward the barn.

"What'd he say? Damon asked.

"He said he was hungry." Damon chuckled.

"No, really." He said, being serious.

"That's what he said!" I responded.

"It's ok. I'll figure out what's going on. You two go on. Ask your Olympian parent to teleport you there." Chiron said, before following Max toward the stable.

Damon turned to me. "Ok, I'll see you there!" He closed his eyes, and then opened them again. "Did I mention you look great?" He then closed his eyes and whispered something incoherent, and was gone.

I closed my eyes. "Hey, dad, could you get me to Olympus?" I murmured. I was suddenly engulfed in a blue-green smoke. I was twirling around really fast, and was about to puke when I was thrown on the ground in a big muddled heap in front of an extravagant building. I noticed Damon next to me, laughing.

"Ahem…"

"Oh ya." Damon put out his hand. I took it and he pulled me up. I dusted my dress off.

"Is my hair ok?" I asked Damon, since I didn't have a mirror. He stuck out his hand and fixed a couple things.

"There." He said when he was done. I looped my arm with his, and marched into the building the party was in. And guess what? They were playing my favorite, Paramore! Everywhere around me, people were dancing and laughing and getting drunk (not if they were under aged…). But the weird thing was, while some people were head-banging, others were slow dancing.

"Damon, what's up with all the randomness?"

"At Olympian parties, you hear whatever you want to hear." He shouted over the noise. I nodded.

"Oh." I yelled back.

"I'm gonna go get us some drinks, ok? Try to find Mark and Maya or something." Damon then started toward the drinks table, while I was left there, in the middle of a gigantic party, looking for two people. This'll be about as easy as finding a needle in a haystack. I headed over to the snacks table; this was Maya's favorite place at any party. She was sure to be there somewhere. But when I got to the snack table, I gasped. It was, like, a mile long! Loads of people were crowded around it.

Halfway through my search, I was approached by a businessman looking guy in a pin striped suit with black hair and a beard.

"Um…hi?" I said nervously.

"So, Ariel. I need to talk to you about what you'll be the goddess of."

"Excuse me? I'm no goddess! You've got the wrong girl. Besides, who are you?"

"I am Zeus, Lord of the Sky." Oh my gods, I was talking to the Zeus! And I acted rudely; shouldn't I have been blasted to bits for doing that or something?

"Oh, Lord Zeus, of course!" I addressed him, politely this time.

"Uncle Zeus to you." 'Uncle' Zeus clarified. "Anyways, back to the subject. What do you want to be the goddess of?"

"I'm not a goddess though! My mom's a mortal!" I protested.

"Oops. They haven't told you yet. My bad. But still, you should think about it." Zeus then disappeared into the crowd, and I went back to my search for my best friends. I hummed to the song that was playing. I grabbed a couple of Oreos as I went as well.

Soon though, I was stopped again, by a deathly pale guy with dark hair and eyes. He was wearing all black. Gods, this guy must really like black…

"Dear Ariel, did you enjoy your welcome-to-Olympus present?" He asked.

"Huh?" I said, clueless.

"I am Hades, Lord of the Dead. Anything click?" He winked. I was still not getting it, and I think Hades saw that.

"Max." He said simply, smiling. I gasped.

"No way!" I screeched, running over and hugging Hades. That was a bit impulsive of me. I felt Hades stiffen a bit, but then he relaxed and returned the hug.

"You're welcome." He said simply.

I pulled out of the hug. "I didn't say thanks yet!" I protested.

Hades smiled. "As you people today say, _whatever_." He then turned and walked away, and I was left to find my friends again.

I crashed into some people as I went along. When I turned to apologize, I saw someone very familiar. Someone I didn't expect to see on Olympus. Ever.

"Mom?"

* * *

**Cookies! Come get your cookies! –someone reaches for plate- -I smack hand away- **_**After**_** you review! **


	25. I'm a goddess?

**BABY CAMELS ARE **_**SO**_** CUTE!! Ok, I don't know where that came from…well, I haven't updated in a week! –points finger at school and glares- it's the first week and I already have too much freaking homework! Ugh!! Well, I guess this is the third-last chapter of Ariel's Summer. I've written chapter 27 already, so now I just need to do chapter 26. Heh. I went shopping with my bestie today from 5-10pm, which was cool. We spent most of the time eating though…whatever, I think it'd be a good idea if you read the story now… PS, I've already started the sequel. I just need to finish chapter 26…**

**Edward's Personal Stalker – **You changed your name. Now I'm gon start calling you EPS. That sounds like some kind of disorder…and why should I update when you haven't updated your own story? :P

**Gryphonfeather – **What are you thanking me for the story?! Whatever…

**LoverOfPJO-LGW-IC** – I don't know how, I just made him. After all, I am the all powerful author! lolz! And you automatically get cookies once you review.

**Olympiangirl **- Are you hyper? Or do go around all the time telling people you'll perform homicide on their cookies? Cus that makes tracking down the criminal a lot easier now that they're all gone… And yes, the poll was, even though didn't get the most votes :D

**Loopygirl33 – **glad to make you feel stupid! And I know I am. And I already said thanks to him.

**Sistergrimm2** – I like torchering you people. But it's kind of obvious what's gonna happen. And I did that Zeus and Hades thing on purpose…I think. And why does everyone wanna eat all the cookies?!

**i-rock-101** - :D

**Belle95** – And your only 10 sure your not an alien? –calls police- anyways, I wonder if the library has Twilight, but probably not, considering they have no good books. And if you aren't weird, I must say there is something wrong with you. Cus no one's not weird. Glad you like the cookies. And was it really?

**Eternity of Night – **Do you really think the plot is twisted? And what a weird flood. A typing flood with a brain. That's scary…

**Griffy – **No, my cliffies aren't! And I don't know what you're confused about…

**HAYDENpfan – **Are you sure you don't need the slapping? And Luke is! -Luke pops up, with backbiter in hand, as always- HAYDENpfan! Tell your _boyfriend_ to leave me _alone_!! Anyways, I think you'd get un-god-ized if you broke the laws of Olympus. Heh, I don't think Apollo'll listen to you though. And Poseidon can't leave the sea because he and Oceanus are too busy bitch-slapping each other and having sissy fights. I watch them on Hephaestus TV, it's the best show on…-laughs at thinking about yesterday's episode- and Hades is nice because he is nice. –Hades appears and pats me on the head- "You're a good niece." –Hades disappears- See? You're just jealous the Gods don't like you that much! :P

* * *

My mom was wearing a chocolaty colored dress that matched her eyes. It ended at her knee, and had a belt around the waist, that was a slightly darker shade of brown. The skirt wasn't pleated. She had her hair down; it looked like it had been straightened. She had light make up on too; some blush, a soft pink lipstick, some mascara. Nothing overdone. She was hand in hand with a tall man, with tanned weathered skin, a dark beard, and sea green eyes that were a lot like mine. He had smile wrinkles on his face, and was dressed in a formal, yet casual suit.

"Hello, daughter." The man said in a deep voice. That cleared a couple things up. This was Poseidon, god of the sea, and my father.

"Um…hi?" I said uneasily. My mom looked at me thoughtfully.

"You look great. Aphrodite's kids did you up?" She asked. I nodded.

"So, mom, why are you here?" I asked uncertainly.

"Well, we were looking for you so we could tell you..." My mom started.

"Yes, go on…" I said waving my hand in a fashion that urged her to continue.

"You're a goddess." My dad finished for her. I looked at them, confused. My mom saw my look and sighed.

"I'm the Nereid, Amphitrite, dear. A spirit of the ocean. And the Goddess of the Mediterranean." I just stood there with my mouth ajar. I have no idea how long I stood there, staring at my parents, gaping.

In that time, though, Damon came up, kissed me on the cheek, and handed me a drink, which I took absent-mindedly.

"So, what's up Little Mermaid?" He asked as I took a sip of my drink. I blinked and shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I looked at my parents to find my mom squealing.

"Aw! That's so cute how he has a pet name for her!"

"Our girl's already growing up!" My dad added. I blushed of embarrassment while Damon looked at me for an explanation.

"Ok, that's mom, Amphitrite," I said, motioning to mother. "And that's dad, Poseidon." I motioned to my dad.

"But doesn't that make you a…" Damon said. He was piecing this together faster than I was. I nodded. "Gods, Ari! That is so cool!" He said cheerfully. I rolled my eyes.

"So what are you gonna be the goddess of? We need to know sooner than later." Poseidon said.

"_Oh my gods. Oh my gods. We are all going to die!"_ I recognized that voice as Percy's thoughts.

"_What's wrong?"_ I asked back.

"_Wha-oh, right. Ari! Luke's coming to Olympus. And he's bringing his whole army!!" _

"_Where are you? Have you got Annabeth? How close are they?" _I shot a few questions at him.

"_We're outside the empire state building, yes, and about 10 minutes away."_ He answered.

"_Crap. I'll see you here then. Bye!"_ I looked to see a crowd gathered, staring at me and giving me weird looks. The people staring included my parents, friends, and the one and only Zeus. The music wasn't on anymore either. It was deathly quiet.

"Um…Hi?" I smiled coyly and did a small wave.

"What were you doing just now?" questioned Poseidon.

"I was communicating with Percy…"

"Does he have my daughter with him?" asked a blonde-haired, gray-eyed lady. Athena, I instantly thought.

"Yes, Lady Athena." I replied courteously.

"Good. We can go back to the party now." Athena turned to go continue whatever she was doing, and a few people followed her example.

I sighed. "But he also has bad news." I said quickly. Everyone, and I mean absolutely _everyone_, stopped dead in their tracks. They all turned to look at me expectantly. I took a deep breath.

"Luke's paying us a little visit, and has decided to bring his army along." I said. There were a lot of groans, a couple gasps, and a few sighs.

"When will they arrive?" inquired Athena.

I let out another sigh. "In 10 minutes or so."

"But why would they attack Olympus _now_?" queried someone in the crowd.

"Think about it. We're dressed up; some of you are drunk; and of course, we aren't prepared." I explained.

"You know, you're pretty smart. Are you sure you're related to Kelp Head?" Athena asked overly nicely.

"Who are you calling Kelp Head, Owl Muck?" My dad barked.

"You. Who else here has a head full of Kelp?" Athena snapped back.

"Aw! A lover's quarrel. They look _so _cute when they're fighting." A pretty woman with overdone make up covering her flawless face, said. I think she's Aphrodite. "Eros!" She called. Yup, definitely Aphrodite.

Athena immediately shot Aphrodite a look. "Don't even _think_ about it!" she warned.

"Ooh! I think I feel a haiku coming on…" A man started. Everyone cringed. He looked strangely familiar though…

"Apollo! Not now!" A 12 year old girl with auburn hair, in a silver dress, scolded him.

"Oh come on sis!" Apollo whined to the girl, who I assume is Artemis.

"Do _not_ call me sis!" She demanded.

I sighed (for the millionth time). We were going to be dead meat in less than 5 minutes if I didn't do something now. People all around me were squabelling ceaselessly.

"People!" I hollered. That got their attention. I took a deep breath. "Just stop." I said, more quietly.

"Or you could keep fighting amongst yourselves." A familiar voice sneered from the doorway, which was behind me. "That'd make our job a lot easier, really."

* * *

**Cookies if you review!**


	26. AN

O-M-G

O-M-G! I'm _so _sorry I haven't updated in forever. Chapter 26 is still in progress, but I'm on the third chapter of the sequel already. :D I know right now you're al thinking _'what the Hades? I t thought she was updateing!!'_ Haha. But my life has been super busy. I thought last year I had too much homework. But _no_, we just _have_ to have more work this year. And it's only the first month!! And we just got back from out 3 day 2 night residential. Ya, all our activities were like a half an hour walk from the hotel. Half on steep roads, half on jungle paths. And of course, the activities just had to be kayaking, rope courses, rock climbing/abseiling, and team building obstacle courses. Note that I'm afraid of heights, I'm extremely unfit, I have a tendency to get sick/injured, and I have a recurring(is that the word?) knee problem. Grr. And I couldn't sleep 'cus the beds weren't comfy and the pillow was too puffy. Ugh! And this morning was the x-country. I got 43rd. Please congratulate me! Last last year, I got dead last! Heh. And I'm having plenty of indecisions on my stories. Yous all need to vote in my poll on my profile. It's about who you want Ariel to end up with in the sequel. I'm being mean and giving her a nasty love life, 'cus every book, something horrible will happen to it, and she'll end up with someone else. I think. I already plotted the other books btw. I just need to get around to writing them. Oh, and I read Twilight a couple weeks ago! I read it in 2 days flat. That's including school and homework. Lolz, I read super fast. I have an idea for a PJOxTwilight crossover I might write. And I have an idea fro a Thuke fanfic. I already started that. I might re-start it though. Oh, and in Chapter 26, do you want an epic battle scene or one where Luke goes completely loony and scares everyone? Ya, that's all I have to say for now. If you guys could help with my 2 decisions, I'll get Chapter 26 up by next week. Cus I'm going riding and I'll be stuck in the car for 4 hours to get there, I'll have plenty of time to get past writer's block, and post it. Okies, well I'm done ranting (for now)! Congrats on reading the whole thing. :P Later people!!


	27. What the ?

**Jeez, school really takes the life out me. Not like our teachers care. It's all test this, exam that. So many tests! This is why I don't exactly like the British system. I'll take American any day! :D lolz, I haven't been riding since July either, so I'm really irked by that. But at least I have the week off to work on finishing Ariel's Summer and make some progress on Mistakes. **

**Some other things – one, my PE teacher is this Kiwi who really likes hanging out with my mom and dad. What the ?? And he calls them mom and dad too. And he's got it in his head that penguins are found in the north pole. He's trying really hard to prove it to me. And everyone's freaked out cus I'm the teacher's pet in PE and it's one of my worst subjects. **

**Secondly, I spent the day before yesterday at the mall with the boringest crowd ever. Not that anyone where I live is any interesting, but still! I mean, tomato smoothies? TOMATO SMOOTHIES PEOPLE!! And we watched Mama Mia, which was really weird cus they kept breaking out into song in the middle of a conversation for no particular reason. **

**Three – I read too fast. I read the first and second The Mediator books in a day each. That's 250 something pages. I have a good idea for a fanfic for that story though they don't have an archive on here. Mom's gonna get me New Moon in a couple of days.**

**And wow, I read my story from the start, and realized quite a few things. I called that fire breathing horse Dancer hit on Bella, I said she had a shelf of plushy horses – those were supposed to be brayers, I wanted Damon and Ari to be interrupted before they kissed, etc. Ya, I'll take care of that in time… **

**Now, I'm done ranting! Go ahead and read away!**

* * *

Luke approached me, looked scarier than usual. His pale skin glowed slightly, and his blond hair was slicked down with too much gel. He wore a dark green sweatshirt with the letters K-R-O-N-O-S written across the chest in white, the collar of a white crewneck shirt visible. He had chino pants and black leather shoes on. To complete the look, he had his sword in its sheath on his belt, several poisonous concoctions also strapped to his waist. A shiver ran down my spine, I couldn't help it.

Luke grinned. "Scared are we?"

"You wish!" I retorted sourly, covering my anxiousness well in my voice.

"You don't fool me, you foul half-blood!" He sneered.

"Like you're not one?" I gave him a smug look. Realization seemed to cross his face, but he quickly shoved it aside.

"After I get you to Kronos, brat, it'll be Lord Castellan." One, he talked about me like Dionysus does most demigods, and two, Lord Castellan? You have got to be kidding me. I burst into a fit of giggles, as did some of the people around me.

"What's so funny?" Luke spat.

"You…Lord Castellan…as if…" I said between laughs.

"Oh, that's it! I don't care if L.K. wants you back in one piece or not" He screamed. Dramatic much? And L.K. for a code name? Very creative. Before I could ponder those thoughts though, his blade was whizzing straight for my stomach. I jumped back in surprise, dazed. I finally fit the puzzle together. I understood what was happening. They wanted _me_. For what purpose I don't know, but the thought of being under the rule of a tyrant like Kronos kicked me into action.

My hand flew to my bracelet, where I instinctively pressed the charm that became my sword. As it grew in my hand, I side-stepped about five or six of Luke's viscous blows. This guy really needed anger management classes. Do they offer those on Kronos' ship? I wonder.

While I was wondering though, I wasn't thinking about where I was heading as I dodged Luke's endless attacks. He had cornered me up against the wall. Not good. At least I had my sword in-hand. It would have been convenient to have my shield too, but now wasn't the time to be pressing the charm.

I panicked as my back hit the wall. Luke had a malicious, wild look in his eyes, the kind a predator has right before it makes the kill. And he was a predator. Sad part of the story is, I was the prey. Great.

He pulled his sword back, ready to stab me in the gut. "This was too easy," I heard him mutter as he did. I was frozen to the spot in fear. I was going to die. And I didn't even get to say goodbye to Moondance. How depressing. Right as he put his sword in action, something warm grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the way. I fell in a heap, on top of whoever my savior was. Luke's sword crashed into the wall, where I had been just moments ago. He sighed in frustration, growling slightly.

As I got up quickly, careful with my sword, I was expecting to see my boyfriend or some god. Instead, was a person that I least expected. Nico. Of all people, he came and saved me. How sweet of him; maybe he wasn't such a creep after all. He looked kinda cute in a tux too. I mentally slapped myself. _Did I really just say that? Wow. Not good, I already have a boyfriend. It must be that time of the month for me._

Of course, during the time I got caught up in my thoughts, Luke was already ambushing me. Nico had to pull me out of Backbiter's range again. "You ok?" He asked softly as he maneuvered me behind him. I just nodded meekly, even though I knew he couldn't see me. I was too stunned; calling a creep cute and trying to get killed by your enemy can take a lot out of you. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts, before I moved alongside Nico, who was currently in combat with Luke.

_That's really sweet, how he's so protective of me. _Wait, what? What has gotten into me? And wait a minute, shouldn't it be Damon or dad protecting me, not some guy I met once who helped me figure out what was happening at camp? I shook my head again, trying to clear my thoughts long enough to be able to help Nico. _Aw…_I really felt like punching my sub conscience right now. _No need to resort to violence now. _Oh my gods, does it ever shut up?! _No. _I let out a low growl of frustration. _Vent your anger on Luke. _That's the first good thing it's said all day! _Humph!_

I stepped out of the way as the two, evidently unevenly matched rivals danced around the edge on the ballroom, each trying to corner the other. Now would probably be a good time to step in. Not like I had a choice, though, my body had a mind of it's own at the time being, and it was chanting something in an unfamiliar, yet recognizable language that I couldn't place. I continued to walk toward Luke, my sword raised. I felt eager to fight, the hairs on the back of my neck rising slightly out of nervousness.

I was barely aware of what I was doing as I walked behind Luke. Nico looked exhausted from what I could see and I felt kind of guilty. Not that I could feel anything. It was like having an out of body experience. I felt like I was watching in third person as Luke spun around, abandoning a collapsed Nico to charge this oddly familiar girl. Oh right, that's me.

I instinctively blocked him as he lunged at my stomach, parrying the various amount of blows I received, half the techniques he used I wouldn't have thought were possible. But I held my own, side-stepping and making snooty comments when appropriate.

"Are you ever going to attack me?" Luke sneered, breathing heavily.

"In my own time, yes." I responded. We had been at it for about twenty minutes, and Luke seemed to be losing it as I cautiously kept my ground, only fighting when necessary, which meant that I wasn't as tired as the ever persistent Luke.

"Well get to it then!"

Luke is seriously annoying, did you know that? But in the split second he spent mocking me, I had created a thin red line across his abdomen. Much to my pleasure, Whisperer had cut through his heavy layers of clothing and grazed his skin. The corners of my lips twitched slightly at his expression of horror.

"Oh no you didn't!" He screeched, sounding similarly to a cross between a bird and a fury.

"Oh yes I did!" I retorted, but jumped back as his sword went flying toward me. I winced as it sliced my shoulder.

The words in that language that seemed to be at the back of my head when I was fighting were suddenly overwhelmingly loud, and I saw myself, dress, sword and all, getting lifted into the air. A soft gold light surrounded my body as I looked on. My eyes were closed, and my sword returned to my bracelet of its own accord as my right arm started to lift itself. The wound on my shoulder healed by itself. My hand rose limply from my side, and I started murmuring loudly some kind of spell in that language that was stuck in my head.

The light around me intensified, leading up to the exact moment I opened my eyes. I was stunned to see them glowing; they were also a different color, a butterscotch-ey kind of color. The light that had formed around me rushed toward my outstretched palm. "Yшедший!"

People, including Luke, gasped as a beam of light shot out of my hand, quick as lightning. It hit Luke straight in the chest, and he stumbled backwards, tripping over himself into a big heap. A look of shock, anger, and most of all, pain, was painted on his sickly pale face. I didn't get to relish in the joy of injuring him though; my body disappeared abruptly, along with my 3rd person point of view.

* * *

**That took a lot longer to write than anticipated. And I completely restarted it about three times. I hope it's up to your expectations, sorry if it isn't. After this I think it'll be an epilogue or something leading up to the sequel. I think that'll be a lot longer and more interesting. And yes, I'm re-writing the next chapter. Anyways, here are some cookies to tie you over till the last chappie! Later! HG23 Oh, and the language I used instead of ------an was Russian.**


	28. Epilogue: The Land of the who?

**Ok. Well, just got back from my singing lesson. Apparently, I have to find a song with a good melody to sing. Sadly, Paramore is not included, so that just made my life 10 x harder. Then I ate blueberry crepes and now my tongue is purple. **

**I was kinda disappointed with the response to the last chapter, but whatever. I'm only posting this now cus tomorrow I'm going to sleep over at my bestie's…**

**This is the epilogue to Ariel's Summer. Finally finished it! Congratulate me!! Lolz, I'm re-writing the sequel btw, cus I had a change of plan. Now, read along, I have time to rant later…**

* * *

"Where am I?" I asked, drowsy and disoriented, slowly awakening from the weird yet strangely comforting sleep I had taken on after the night of the dance.

"We must tell Queen Thalestris immediately! Princess Hippolyte has awoken from the healing sleep!" As my eyesight cleared. I saw I was surrounded by several girls, all around my age and looking eerily similar to how I looked during my out-of-body experience. They were all wearing tunics of various colors, and tight leggings. They didn't have shoes, and their dark hair was done in braids. They had tanned skin, and some had those butterscotch eyes, while others had deep brown ones. One of the girls ran off, while the others eyed me with interest.

I was in a tent, I saw. It was pretty big, and not especially modern. It was brown, and around it were scattered various things; weapons, clothes, amphoras filled with liquid. Everything was in drab, earthy colors. I myself was lying to the side of the exceptionally large tent, on a soft bed roll, a pillow under my head.

"So, you never answered my question." I pointed out as I sat up slowly. Surprisingly, I didn't feel my shoulder throb or my head spin. I felt about as good as ever.

"Silly! You're in the other world! Didn't you know?" The eldest, who looked around fourteen, said, smiling.

"_The_ _Other World_. Where have I heard that before?" I mulled. I couldn't place it, although it was probably right under my nose.

The girl shook her head, sighing. "The Other World. The land of the Amazons."

* * *

**And that is the end of Ariel's Summer! I'd like to thank all you wonderful people out there who actually bothered reading this. I've had, as of as I write this, 5275 views, and 183 reviews! Oh my gods! **

**Anyhow, here is a list of all the people who ever reviewed (with the exception of one person :D):**

**loopygirl33**

**Belle95**

**Destiny's Rider**** (formerly Griffy/Griffin's Destiny)**

**WritingChick13 (formerly something else…I think xP…)**

**HAYDENpfan**** (the red-headed Luke lover who seems like my long lost twin…sorta)**

**Aechiles**** (the guy who **_**thinks**_** he can kidnap my characters because he is the **_**all mighty god of time**_**)**

**sistergrimm2**

**i-rock-101 **

**Maggie New**

**Eternity of Night**** (The ever insane goddess of pwnage who got attacked by the crazy flood waters)**

**1penguin1**

**Edward's Personal Stalker (poor Edward…)**

**The Ocean Is My Inkwell**

**Thesilverhunter**

**huffle-bibin**

**annabethandpercy4ever**

**Gryphonfeather**

**Winter Mission**

**Olympaingirl**

**Angelapaw**

**LoverOfPJO-LGW-IC**

**Thalia-Luke**

**LunarEclispe**

**writerofsgnitirw**

**FantasyFan-WriterGirl**

**The list is in no particular order. Anyhow, I'm thinking of titles for the sequel…-nudge nudge wink wink- and finally, LETS PARTY!! Heh... I kinda got a buffet with everything to celebrate. Whatever. –turns on music in background (your choice of Paramore, Panic! At The Disco, P!nk, the AAR or PCD)- Until next time! –disappears in a puff of smoke-**


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